Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Rewrite)
by SlytherinNinjaKnight
Summary: As the title suggests, this will be a rewrite of Episode VII: The Force Awakens. I was disappointed with Disney's Sequel Trilogy, there was quite a bit of potential in it but it didn't live up to that potential so I am attempting to redo things. This will not follow the Disney sequel trilogy exactly, there will be the mixing of both Legends and Disney Canon. Rated M for safety
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Star Wars_, Disney does, though I do wish they were taking better care of it. This story will have characters from both Legends and Disney Canon and attempt to mix them in a way that they all make sense. I am not doing this for profit, just having some fun and trying to improve my writing skills. Enjoy!**

* * *

**It has been nearly 30 years since the final defeat and disbanding of the Galactic Empire, and the newly established Galactic Republic has brought peace back to the galaxy. But it has come at a great cost. Soon after the Galactic Concordance was signed which signaled the official end of the Galactic Civil War, the galaxy turned against one of its greatest heroes.**

**Luke Skywalker has been exiled from the known galaxy! While Skywalker was instrumental in the Empire's downfall, the majority of the galaxy believed that the past two wars that had ravaged the galaxy were due to those who wielded the Force. And so the masses voted to exile any and all Force-users to the Unknown Regions, where they would remain, never to return to the known galaxy under pain of death.**

**But the Jedi are not the only Force-users in the galaxy. A shadow has been steadily gaining strength at the edge of the galaxy, waiting for its chance to strike. And without the Jedi to combat the darkness, the galaxy is poised once more on the edge of war…**

* * *

**Jakku**

**Jakku System**

**Western Reaches**

"Status report?"

"Same as it was when you asked five minutes ago Poe," the aggravation was plain to hear even though the comlink. "That First Order Destroyer hasn't moved from its position. It is just sitting at the edge of the gravity well, like it is waiting for something."

"Yeah, most likely us," Poe Dameron muttered. "All right Cassie, just keep me updated. If that Destroyer even moves an inch, tell me."

"Will do boss," Cassie said before the comm clicked off.

Poe sighed and clipped the comlink back to his belt and turned back to his host. "Sorry about that," he said.

"You have nothing to be sorry about Commander," the elderly man said. Lor San Tekka was certainly a man who had been around the galaxy a time or two, and he looked the part. Thinning silver hair crowned a lined and weather-beaten face, but the man's eyes were bright and sharp belying his age. "You are wise to stay alert, especially out here. The First Order reigns out here in all but name."

"But we are safe here though?" Poe asked, glancing around the tent as if expecting someone to be eavesdropping on them.

"For the time being," Lor said gravely. "No one in this village has any love for the First Order, they all remember the Empire all too well. But the longer you remain here, the more danger you could find yourselves in."

"That's why we should do this fast," Poe agreed. "Do you have it?"

Lor reached up and took off a small pouch from around his neck. He placed the pouch in Poe's hand and closed the younger man's hand around it.

"The General has been searching for this for a long time," Poe said, pocketing the pouch.

"I am sure the Princess has been," Lor said with a fond smile. "The galaxy needs the Jedi to return once more. The darkness is rising once again, and the Republic needs the Jedi."

"Not disagreeing with that," Poe said. "I've seen the holos of what those Ren butchers can do. And if this can lead us to the General's brother, it will be worth it. Though I wouldn't want to be Skywalker when General Organa gets her hands on him."

Both Lor and Poe chuckled at what might befall the great Luke Skywalker when Leia Organa found him.

Poe's comlink suddenly chirped and Poe snatched it off his belt in an instant. "What's wrong Cassie?" he asked.

"That Destroyer just launched a shuttle along with four dropships," Cassie answered quickly. "Telemetry shows they are heading your way."

"Roger that," Poe said. "On my way back."

"We'll be…" Cassie's response was suddenly cut off by the crackling of static.

"Friek!" Poe cursed, "they just jammed the comms."

"You need to leave now," Lor said.

"Come with me," Poe urged the older man.

Lor shook his head. "I will just slow you down," he said. "You must get that data to the Princess."

"She hasn't gone by Princess for years now you know," Poe said as he grabbed his gear.

"No matter how long it has been, she will always be royalty to me," Lor said with a sad smile. "Now go. Head north for about ten klicks then west for another five, you will find a place to hide there until the First Order leaves."

"That is the opposite way to my ship," Poe argued.

"The First Order will catch you both if you head straight for your ship," Lor said, "now go!"

Poe looked torn as the older man left the tent but, in the distance, Poe could hear the howl of approaching ships. "Come on BB-8," Poe barked.

The small ball-shaped astromech tweeted at Poe but followed him out of the tent. Man and droid rushed through the village as all around them villagers prepared themselves for the First Order's arrival. Looking over his shoulder, Poe saw the running lights of the shuttle and its escort rapidly approaching the village.

"BB-8, you take the map," Poe said kneeling down next to his droid. "I want you to head toward the hiding spot that Lor mentioned. I am going to head toward the ship and Cassie, and hopefully draw them away from you. Understand?"

The droid twittered lowly as if telling Poe that it was a bad idea.

"It probably is buddy, but it will have to make do," Poe said, "now get moving."

BB-8 gave his owner a look but turned and began rolling away. Poe waited until his faithful companion disappeared over a dune before grabbing a nearby blanket and wiping clean the path that his droid was leaving behind. Once that was done, he took off south and west toward the small freighter that had brought Poe, Cassie and BB-8 to this desolate rock, sending a soundless prayer to any deity listening to protect BB-8.

* * *

Blaster fire erupted inside the dropship's hold as soon as the landing ramp dropped to the ground. Trooper FN-2187 ignored the fire as he rushed out of the hold following his comrades. As soon as his boots hit the hard-packed sand, FN-2187 looked around to find some cover and a place to assess the situation.

This wasn't his first firefight; he had been in several already but something about this mission felt different to FN-2187. His previous combat experience consisted mainly of patrolling territory controlled by the First Order as well as several raids on pirate groups that the First Order had been contracted to destroy. But this mission was going to be his first against members of the Resistance, the anarchist group acting with the tacit approval of the Republic. Anger caused FN-2187 to tighten his grip on his blaster.

The Resistance had been launching hit and run raids on First Order bases for years now, and very rarely left survivors. And sometimes they didn't limit themselves to purely military targets.

FN-2187 dove behind a low stone wall as blue blaster fire flashed above him. He rose to a knee and returned fire, unable to keep a grim smile from appearing beneath his helmet. He heard the order to advance over the comlink in his helmet and rose to his feet. FN-2187 spotted several members of his squad approaching a ramshackle hut and rushed over to meet them. His approach faltered when he heard screams and blasterfire coming from inside the hut. FN-2187 raised his blaster in case an enemy came rushing out of the hut but the only people that emerged were the three troopers who had entered the hut several minutes earlier. And FN-2187 then noticed that their armor was spotless.

The trio of troopers walked past him toward the center of the village, and FN-2187 knew he should turn around and follow them. But he couldn't, something was telling him to enter the tent, that he needed to see what was inside. Slowly, FN-2187 moved aside the fabric hanging from the doorway and entered the dwelling.

There were four beings lying on the floor; two human children, an older human female and a Twi'lek. All four bodies were riddled with blasterfire, with several wounds still smoking. The scent of charred flesh filled FN-2187's helmet regardless of the filters built in, as he struggled to take in the scene before him. FN-2187 looked around the hut, looking for any reason why his fellow troopers would have shot these beings but there were no blasters in the hut, and certainly nothing that could pose a risk to a group of highly trained troopers. It was then that FN-2187 noticed the most horrifying thing of the whole scene; one of the child's eyes were still open and starring directly at him.

The eyes were glazed over in death but nonetheless they cut through FN-2187's armor as easily as a blaster bolt would sear through flesh. FN-2187's legs couldn't support him and he fell to his knees, his blaster falling from nerveless fingers. His breathing sounded deafening in the small hut as FN-2187 reached out with a trembling hand and gently closed the child's eyes.

FN-2187 didn't remember standing up or leaving the hut. All he could think of was the child's eyes and the senseless murder he had seen. A small voice, which sounded very much like his instructors said that they were Resistance agents and deserved to die but that voice was drowned out by a child's scream being cut short by blasterfire. He barely realized that he had rejoined his fellow troopers at the center of the village.

The surviving villagers had been rounded up and were surrounded by the First Order troops, all who had their weapons raised. There was a scuffle from the edge of the encirclement and FN-2187 saw two troopers dragging someone into the circle. It was a human male with dark hair and wearing a beaten-up jacket. The two troopers shoved the man to his knees in front of a tall figure who wore a black hooded cloak and a black mask. FN-2187 straightened instinctively at the sight of the leader of the Knights of Ren, Kylo Ren.

FN-2187 watched as Kylo Ren knelt down in front of the man and said something that the trooper couldn't hear over the crackling of the various fires that had sprung up during the skirmish. Ren then straightened and gestured for the man to be taken to the command shuttle. The troopers sprang into action; one lashed out with his blaster, striking the man in the back of the head causing him to go limp instantly. The two troopers then dragged the man away toward the awaiting shuttle.

Another man was then brought before Kylo Ren, this man walked before Kylo Ren with his head held high. The man's silver hair gleamed in the fire light as he looked upon the Supreme Leader's student. The light was not enough to be clear but FN-2187 felt as if the man was looking down at Kylo Ren with pity. FN-2187 heard some words exchanged between the pair before a beam of red light appeared in Kylo Ren's hand.

Without a second's hesitation, Kylo Ren cut down the old man. The man crumpled at Kylo's feet without a word. Ren then deactivated his lightsaber and stalked off toward his shuttle. FN-2187 numbly heard the order to open fire on the villagers and he could only watch in horror as the surviving villagers were cut down in a stream of blasterfire, including several shots that came from his own weapon.

Within minutes it was all over. All of the villagers were dead and the order had been given to return to the dropships. FN-2187 silently fell into step and boarded the dropship with his fellow troopers. The landing ramp hissed closed and FN-2187 felt the ship lift off, taking them back to the Star Destroyer that had brought them to Jakku. But FN-2187 knew that everything had changed, and the first chance he got, he was leaving.

* * *

As soon as Kylo Ren stepped off the shuttle, Poe knew things had just gone from bad to worse. Poe had managed to erase BB-8's tracks just in time but now he was trapped in the village with the First Order surrounding it. Poe grabbed his comlink off his belt and quickly twisted it to an encrypted Resistance frequency, and tapped out a rapid message to Cassie back at the ship. He didn't want to risk a vocal message over the comm in case the First Order had cracked the encryption or had the equipment with them to track the message. Poe hoped that the brief tonal message would go unnoticed by the First Order with all that was going on already.

Grabbing his blaster rifle from the speeder, Poe raced behind a nearby sand dune and found a spot that gave him a clear line of fire into the village. He had to buy as much time as he could for BB-8 to get away, even if it meant that Poe didn't. But when Kylo Ren emerged from the shuttle, Poe couldn't help but curse in as many languages as he knew, and there were quite a few.

Poe's face twisted into a snarl of anger as the stormtroopers breached the village and began slaughtering the villagers. Most of the villagers were unarmed civilians and tried to hide in their huts or tents but that gave them no protection from the stormtroopers. Poe's blaster bucked against his shoulder as he began picking off stormtroopers. He managed to kill three troopers before his position was noticed. Sliding down the back of the sand dune, Poe ran off in search of a new spot.

But before he could, Poe was spotted by another squad of stormtroopers coming around the next dune. Poe dove to the ground and rolled to his right as blasterfire scythed through the air where his body had just been. He flicked his rifle over to automatic fire and pulled the trigger. A dozen or so blue bolts spat from his rifle, and in less than five seconds, three more troopers had fallen with smoking craters marring their white armor. Poe scrambled to his feet and turned to see another squad of troopers rounding the dune that he had just vacated. Poe swung his blaster back and forth, and four more troopers fell.

Poe turned to continue running but found himself frozen in place. He could only move his head which he turned to look over his shoulder and his stomach sank all the way to his feet. Kylo Ren was slowly approaching him with an arm outstretched toward Poe. Two stormtroopers reached him first and wrenched Poe's blaster from his frozen fingers, then one introduced the butt of his blaster to Poe's midsection.

Poe barely registered the fact that he could move again as he fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. He was knocked sprawling into the Jakku dirt by a kick in the back and reflexively curled into a ball as blaster butts and armored boots pummeled him.

"Enough," a deep and slightly mechanical voice snapped and the blows immediately ceased. "Bring him here."

Poe was yanked to his feet and dragged into the village square where the remaining villagers had been rounded up by the stormtroopers. He was then shoved to his knees at the feet of Kylo Ren.

"What a surprise we have here," Kylo said. Poe looked up at the masked man who was also called 'The Jedi Killer' by those who still remembered the Jedi fondly.

"What is Commander Poe Dameron of the New Republic doing all the way out here?" Kylo asked, crouching down to Poe's eyelevel. "You are a long way from Republic space, aren't you Commander?"

Poe didn't respond, he just glared into the black eyepieces of the mask.

"Answer the question scum!" a trooper snarled before backhanding Poe with a closed fist. Poe's head snapped back from the blow and he felt blood begin to trickle down his chin from a spilt lip. Poe slowly turned to the trooper and spat a bloody mass at the man's feet.

"Hold!" Kylo ordered as the trooper swung his arm back to strike Poe again. The trooper froze then lowered his arm. Kylo turned back to Poe. "You have spirit, I will give you that Commander. We will just have to see how long that spirit will last. In time you will answer why General Organa sent her best pilot all the way out here to Jakku, and I look forward to your answers. Take him to the shuttle."

Two troopers stepped forward and hauled Poe to his feet. They slapped binders around his wrists and escorted Poe away from the villages and toward the shuttle. As Poe was pushed up the boarding ramp, he heard Kylo call out, "Bring him here!"

Kylo's gaze blazed behind his mask as the true target of this operation was brought in front of him. It had been over a decade since he had seen Lor San Tekka but the older man had changed very little. There were a few more lines on his face, and more silver in his hair but he looked calm and collected as he approached Kylo with his head up and gaze steady. There was no fear in the man's eyes or demeanor, something that sent a spike of anger through Kylo.

"Look at you," Kylo said, "You have gotten old."

Lor did not speak, he just kept starring right at Kylo as if the mask wasn't there.

"We have been searching for you for a very long time but now we have finally found you," Kylo said. "We know that you have the last piece of the map. If you will give it to us and then these villagers will be able to go about their lives without incident."

"What you are searching for is not here," Lor said calmly. "Nor will you find it if you continue down this path mired in darkness. You are not meant for darkness, not with your family."

"You know nothing of me old man," Kylo snarled. "You know nothing of the darkness."

"I have seen the true face of darkness," Lor said, "and you have not fallen so far into that darkness as to be not brought back to the Light."

"I will show you the true face of darkness," Kylo growled. He flung out his arm and one of the villagers was pulled out of the crowd and into Kylo's grip. "You have until this woman can no longer breath to tell me what I want to know or she will die and then I will choose another."

The woman began clawing at her throat as Kylo concentrated. He could feel the darkness singing within him as the woman's hands tried to pull his hand free from her throat. Kylo looked over at Lor who was watching the woman try and gain a reprieve.

"This is because of you Lor," Kylo said, a grin hidden behind his mask. "Her death will be because of your pride. All you have to do is give me the map and she will live."

Lor turned his gaze to the woman who was quickly turning blue as her struggles grew even more frantic and desperate.

"Too late," Kylo said as he clenched his fist and the woman's neck snapped with a sharp crack. Kylo released his grip and the woman crumpled at his feet. He then looked up at Lor and said, "Who is next?"

Lor looked around at the villagers, all of whom were staring at him with wide eyes. He turned back to Kylo and asked, "Do I have your word that you will not harm them if I tell you what I know?"

"You have my word that I will not harm these beings if you give me what I want," Kylo nodded. Lor sighed then reached into his cloak and pulled out a small pouch. Kylo gestured and the bag flew from Lor's hand and into Kylo's. Kylo ripped open the bag and found a small piece of metal.

"Thank you Lor," Kylo said as he put the item into his belt. "You have been a great help, and you deserve a reward."

Lor frowned but kept quiet.

"You assisted Skywalker in his quest for Jedi lore," Kylo said as he unclipped an item from his belt. "And your knowledge of said Jedi lore is legendary but do you know the lore of the Dark Side. You see this is an ancient lightsaber design that dates all the way back to the birth of the Republic, perhaps you would like a closer look?"

Lor's eyes widened as Kylo thumbed the ignition switch on and a crackling red blade shot out and pierced San Tekka through the chest. "You lied to me San Tekka," Kylo growled. "And for that, you and this village shall pay."

Kylo yanked his saber free of the dying man and turned to his troops. "Leave no survivors," he ordered while shutting down his weapon and walking back to his shuttle, ignoring the screams of dying men, women and children as the villagers were cut down by blasterfire.

Kylo entered the shuttle and saw Poe being restrained by a couple of troopers. A grin returned behind his mask as Kylo approached the struggling Poe. "Commander Dameron, we are going to have a very long and fruitful conversation when we return to the Finalizer," Kylo said. "And you will tell me everything I need to know or it will be a very long and painful trip."

Poe couldn't help but feel a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his neck as the landing ramp hissed closed.

* * *

A young woman gasped as she jolted awake. Sweat was pouring down her face even though she was shivering and extremely pale. She looked around wildly, as if expecting something or someone to leap out of the shadows. Realizing that no one was there, the young woman laid back down on her bed and wiped her face clean of sweat with a nearby scrap of fabric. She tried to fall back asleep but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths to try and settle her nerves but they just wouldn't settle. Each time her mind would quiet, the peace would be shattered by cries of pain, screams of terror and a blistering cold that even though Rey knew wasn't real, it would still cause her to shiver.

Then as suddenly as it had come, the feeling of being watched and the terrible coldness was gone. Rey opened her eyes, sat up on her bunk and looked around her home once more. There was nothing out of the ordinary, nothing had been moved from their respective places and Rey could only hear the soft whispers of sand brushing against the metal walls of her home. Finally Rey laid back down and closed her eyes, her mind quiet enough to let the whispers of sand lead her off to sleep.

* * *

A pair of haggard blue eyes opened slowly. Something had changed but he wasn't sure what it was. Looking around the stone hut, he was that nothing was amiss. He could dimly hear the waves crashing against the island's shores, and the caws and chirps of the animal life inhabiting the island along with him. He took a deep breath, the salty sea air filling his lungs and froze. The man's eyes flew open as he felt a sensation he had not felt since that terrible night all those years ago. A smile slowly appeared on the man's bearded and lined face.

"Everything has changed."

**A/N: Well there you have it, my first chapter of the Disney Sequel Trilogy rewrite. I hope you enjoyed it, I have been thinking about this story for a long time, ever since the trilogy was first announced. I have been a _Star Wars_ fan for a very long time, and I loved the old Expanded Universe, it was what kept my love for Star Wars going post the prequels. When Disney announced that they were getting rid of the Expanded Universe, I was disappointed but could understand as they wanted to create their own thing. Of course with how the trilogy went, I was quite disappointed. Well, let me know how you all think this opening chapter of _Star Wars Episode VII_: _The Force Awakens (Rewrite)_ went. **

**Until next time,**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own _Star Wars_, Disney does. I do NOT own anything more than just copies of the films, books and comics. I am just trying to have some fun in the immense playground that George Lucas first envisioned and created all those years ago, and that Disney now is using. I am not using this to make any money, just trying to have some fun and refine my skills as a writer. Hope you enjoy this...**

* * *

_**Finalizer**_** (Resurgent-class Star Destroyer)**

**Above Jakku**

**Western Reaches**

Poe sagged limply against his restraints as the electric current racing through his body ended. He couldn't control the tremors in his arms and legs, and even trying to breathe sent sharp pain racing through his chest.

"I must say your resistance is impressive Commander Dameron," Kylo Ren said from behind Poe. "Do you know what this device is?"

"Well it certainly is not a massage chair, that's for sure," Poe joked, trying to angle his head to glare at Kylo Ren.

A dark chuckled filled the room. "No, it is not that," Kylo agreed. "It is the same interrogation device that Darth Vader used on Han Solo on Bespin. So take heart Commander Dameron, you are certainly made of sterner stuff than the great Han Solo."

"Go to hell you bastard," Poe snarled.

"Perhaps I will," Kylo admitted, "but certainly not before you do. Bring her in."

Poe frowned as he heard the command and then the door hissed open.

"Let me go you bastards!"

Poe's head snapped up at the female voice and his heart sank at the sight of his partner, Cassie Synder. Cassie had only joined the Resistance a little over a year prior but had quickly earned her place, showcasing superb piloting and mechanical skills. Poe had been the one to suggest that Cassie accompany him on the mission, and he could feel the anger and terror rolling off her.

"Poe!" Cassie cried when she noticed Poe. "What are you doing to him?" she shouted at Kylo.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Kylo responded, "I am questioning a known dissident for information."

"You are torturing him!"

"Call it what you will," Kylo shrugged. "But I will get the information I require from one of you, from whom I don't really care."

Poe felt a shiver of dread race down his spine at the nonchalant tone in Kylo Ren's voice. Poe knew that the Jedi Killer was being serious and the odds were only one of Poe or Cassie were leaving this room alive were growing quickly.

"We aren't afraid of you monster," Cassie shouted.

"Perhaps you should be," Kylo said. He nodded at the two stormtroopers who had brought Cassie into the interrogation room. They stepped forward and hauled Cassie to her feet. Her remarks were cut short by the sound of Kylo Ren's lightsaber igniting. The low thrum of the blade filled the room, and it cast bloody shadows across Cassie's face and the two stormtroopers.

"What are you doing?" Cassie asked. Poe noticed her voice tremble slightly as Kylo stepped closer to her and brought the lightsaber very close to her face. Cassie tried to move her head away from the blade but the troopers held her in place.

"You are quite the lovely young woman Corporal Synder," Kylo said. "It would be such a shame of mar such an attractive visage."

Cassie's eyes widened in horror as Kylo slowly inched the tip of his blade closer and closer toward her cheek. The smell of burning hair filled the cell as Kylo casually grazed Cassie's hair with his blade. Cassie gasped as she felt the heat of the blade begin to warm her skin. Her eyes darted to Poe who was struggling mightily against his restraints.

"So Corporal Synder, why were you and Commander Dameron on Jakku?" Kylo asked. "And don't try lying to me, you will not like the consequences."

"I won't tell you anything," Cassie snarled.

"Oh I think you will," Kylo said. Screams filled the cell as Kylo stepped closer to Cassie, blocking Poe's vision. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the cell as Kylo stepped back. Poe roared in anger when he saw Cassie clutching her hand, a hand that was missing its two smallest fingers. Blood was slowly dripping onto the metal floor, lightsaber wounds very rarely bled out as the heat of the blade would cauterize the wound but they still hurt like hell.

"You have eight fingers left," Kylo said, his voice completely emotionless through his mask. "Once those are removed, we will move onto your toes, and then your eyes and your nose, and on and on until I get what I want. So I will ask you again, why were you and Jakku meeting with Lor San Tekka?"

"Who?" Cassie gasped, clutching her injured hand close to her chest.

But Cassie's question was answered only by her own screams of pain as her thumb joined the other two fingers on the deck.

"Do not lie to me," Kylo snarled. "Why were you meeting with Lor San Tekka? Did he give you the rest of the map?"

"What map?" Cassie sobbed. "I am just a pilot."

Cassie shrieked as she was yanked from the stormtroopers' grip and found Kylo's hand wrapped around her neck. "Do not lie to me girl!" Kylo growled. "Where is the map that San Tekka had?"

"I don't know anything about a map!" Cassie gasped, trying to draw breath. "My orders were to fly Commander Dameron her and then wait for him. I didn't know who he was meeting or what he was retrieving."

"So you are telling truth," Kylo said. "I suppose I must credit the Resistance for keeping secrets better than the Republic." He released Cassie who fell at his feet with a ringing clang that echoed through the cell.

"What is so special about this map?" Cassie asked, rubbing her sort throat.

"That map contains a vital piece of information," Kylo said. "The location of the first known Jedi Temple."

"Jedi Temple?" Cassie asked. "But you killed them all, Jedi Killer, didn't you?"

"Enough," Kylo snapped, backhanding Cassie and sending her flying into the wall. She slumped to the floor with a dull thud and didn't move. "Check on her," Kylo ordered the stormtroopers. One of the troopers approached Cassie and knelt down next to her, then placed a hand on her neck. "Well?"

"She has a pulse sir, it is weak but there," the trooper answered, "looks to just be unconscious."

"Well, wake her up," Kylo barked. "We still have to find out where that map went."

The trooper reached into his belt, pulled something out and waved it under Cassie's nose. She jerked for a second then groaned.

"Why keep torturing her?" Poe snarled. "She doesn't know anything about any map."

"Oh I know that Commander," Kylo said as the troopers pulled Cassie to her unsteady feet. "This is not for her; it is for you."

"Me?" Poe asked.

"Yes," Kylo said. "Commander, did you know that the Jedi of old forbid its members of having attachments? They did this because they feared that having attachments would lead to having feelings of greed and jealousy, which are emotions closely associated with the Dark Side. Now those who embrace the Dark Side are taught to embrace those attachments, because these attachments and emotions can make them more powerful. And to become truly powerful, those with the Dark Side are also taught to sever those attachments because they can become chains which will hold one back."

"What does this have to do with me?" Poe asked. "I am not a Jedi."

"No, no you are not," Kylo said. "But you have formed an attachment to your comrade, Corporal Synder, and because of that, you have shown your weakness. Like a Jedi, you cannot stand seeing the suffering of others and are willing to do just about anything to save them from suffering, even sacrificing oneself. I have trained myself to be able to sever any and all attachments in order to free myself from those chains. So then Commander Dameron, will you have the strength to break free of your chains, or will they drag you down?"

He then turned to Cassie, blocking Poe's view of his comrade and reignited his lightsaber. Soon the cell was filled once more with the screams of Cassie and Poe, along with the low thrum of a lightsaber.

* * *

FN-2187 snapped to attention when he saw Kylo Ren storm out of the detention cell, flanked by two other stormtroopers.

"It seems that I have underestimated those two," FN-2187 heard Kylo Ren murmur to himself as he stalked past. "Get a medical team in there to clean her up! If she dies before Dameron cracks, all of this will be for nothing."

"Sir," FN-2187 said. He touched his helmet and activated his comm. "This is trooper FN-2187, requesting a medical team at detention cell A-1138." A moment later he turned back to Kylo, "A team is on their way now sir."

"Good," Kylo said. "Watch over the prisoners FN-2187 while the team works. And contact me when the prisoners are ready to continue."

"Sir, yes sir," FN-2187 said.

Kylo swept down the hall, his two guards flanking him, leaving FN-2187 standing guard outside the cell. Even through the shut door, FN-2187 could hear the pain-wracked sobs coming from the prisoners. He felt sorry for the two prisoners, he knew that they were dissidents and the enemy but still he felt sorry for them. They didn't deserve to be tortured, did they?"

FN-2187 heard something and looked up. It was the medical team. He stepped aside and opened the cell. The medical team silently filed inside but before the door could close, FN-2187 saw something that nearly caused him to expel the contents of his stomach.

The female prisoner had been stripped down and secured to the wall by her wrists. Jagged and angry red burns were visible across her entire body, she was also missing all the fingers on one hand and the side of her head was covered in dried blood. As the door slid closed, FN-2187 could hear the groans as the medical team began their work. FN-2187 recognized the team as a combat medical team, whose specialty was to keep their patients alive long enough to get them to a better treatment facility.

FN-2187 remained outside the cell for about an hour, alone, until the cell door hissed open and the medical team exited.

"Are the prisoners able to be questioned?" FN-2187 asked the lead medic.

"I would not recommend it," the doctor said. "The female went into shock when she was released from her restraints, and she hasn't regained consciousness yet. The male prisoner is in better shape but he has a broken rib and several deep lacerations that required sutures."

"Supreme Commander Ren wants to know, so can they be questioned?" FN-2187 repeated the question.

"As long as the questioning does not get too physical," the doctor answered. "And I would focus on the male prisoner first. The female could perish is pushed too much farther."

"Understood," FN-2187 said. The team quickly left the detention area, leaving the conflicted trooper standing guard over two prisoners who looked like they could barely stand let alone attempt an escape.

FN-2187 jumped slightly when his helmet comm pinged. "FN-2187 here," he answered.

"I was just informed that the medical team has left the detention center," Kylo Ren said. "What is the status of our two guests?"

"Sir, the doctor suggested the prisoners not be questioned until they have recovered further," FN-2187 answered. "The doctor said that the female fell into shock and has not regained consciousness."

"And Commander Dameron?"

"The male prisoner has a broken rib and several deep lacerations that required sutures but that is all sir," FN-2187 said.

"Good, I will be there shortly to continue," Kylo answered.

"Very good sir," FN-2187 said. The comlink clicked off leaving FN-2187 standing outside the cell waiting for the Supreme Commander to arrive and continue torturing the prisoners.

Two minutes later, FN-2187 heard footsteps approaching from down the corridor. Around the corner came Kylo Ren, his hood covering his head, and flanked by two stormtroopers. FN-2187 came to attention as the Commander approached.

"At ease FN-2187," Kylo said, nodding to the stormtrooper. "You are dismissed. Get yourself cleaned up and get some rest. You did well today."

"Thank you sir," FN-2187 said, saluted Kylo before moving off down the hallway. As he reached the end of the cell block, he heard Kylo say, "Now then Commander Dameron, shall we continue?"

FN-2187 tried to get the sight of the two prisoners out of his mind as he approached his quarters. The bunk room was empty when FN-2187 arrived, to his pleasure. He removed his helmet and set it aside as he began removing the other parts of his armor. The plastoid armor was covered in dust and grime from the Jakku desert, and FN-2187 considered himself lucky that he had not been injured in the firefight. On the dropship journey back to the _Finalizer_, there were several troopers that had been injured and their cries of pain would never leave him.

But now his mind was filled with the sights and sounds of the two prisoners being tortured by Kylo Ren. FN-2187 knew that the First Order had to do some dirty tings in order to bring order and stability back to the galaxy but this was something different. FN-2187 had always felt on edge around Kylo Ren and it had only grown worse in the time that he had been stationed on the _Finalizer_. It was as if Kylo Ren was a black hole, something that sucked everything into his being, and FN-2187 had always felt cold around the Supreme Commander.

And that coldness had grown even more fierce since the _Finalizer_ had arrived above Jakku. FN-2187 knew his history, he knew that it was above Jakku that the Galactic Empire had met its end against the Rebel Alliance over 30 years prior. The First Order rose from the ashes of the Empire, and it had spent that time biding its time and growing in strength defending the galaxy from various threats that inhabited the Unknown Regions.

As FN-2187 cleaned his armor, his mind turned to his decision to leave the First Order as quickly as he could. This was not what the First Order had promised that they would be doing. FN-2187 thought that the First Order would be the first line of defense against all that went bump in the night, not aiming to conquer the galaxy once again, or to plunge the galaxy into another war.

The bunk room hissed open and three stormtroopers entered. Even with their armor on, FN-2187 recognized his squad mates. FN-2187, FS-1990, TK-1865 and AG-1992 had been together for about a standard year now, and had been through a lot. They had broken up smuggling operations, pirate rings and a host of other things during their time as a squad but now FN-2187 was wondering if he could leave them behind. They were just like him, conscripted at a young age, rescued from an unforgiving galaxy that preyed on the weak and were given a purpose in helping to reestablish order to a chaotic galaxy.

But now FN-2187 wasn't too sure about the First Order. He had seen some dark and disgusting things but the icy chill he felt when he first met Kylo Ren had made him instantly wary of the Supreme Commander, and being ordered to eliminate the villagers on the planet below without hesitation made FN-2187 even more adverse to being around Kylo Ren and the First Order.

The question he now faced was, could FN-2187 truly abandon all he knew for the unknown? Something in the back of his head whispered, yes, he could. But where could he go? The First Order despised traitors, and Captain Phasma took great pleasure in dealing with traitors herself. The Republic was certainly out, FN-2187 knew that the First Order had spies and infiltrators within the Republic just waiting to be given the order to strike.

He could attempt to vanish into the Unknown Regions, become a bounty hunter or mercenary like the legendary Boba Fett, but that too didn't sit right with FN-2187. He had seen enough bounty hunters, pirates and mercenary scum to ever live that type of life. He was a soldier, it was what he was born for and trained to be, and there was only one other faction in the galaxy that was looking for soldier, the Resistance.

FN-2187 shook his head, how could he even possibly consider joining the Resistance? They were the ones bringing chaos to the known galaxy, weren't they? What did he actually know about the Resistance aside from what the First Order had told him? And could he really trust what the First Order said with how they acted? Could he really speak with the prisoners they had brought back from Jakku, and convince them to let him join them if they managed to escape the First Order?

FN-2187 awoke exactly at 0800, as he did every morning and quickly washed and donned his armor. Once he secured his helmet, FN-2187 saw a blinking icon in the HUD, signaling his new orders. FN-2187 activated the icon and quickly scanned his orders. He was to report to the detention block again for guard duty while the Supreme Commander continued his questioning of the Resistance prisoners. FN-2187 watched as the scrolling text vanished and his HUD returned to its basic setting.

FN-2187 arrived at his designated post at exactly 0945, as he had been ordered too and relieved the other two guards. It was then he realized that he was not alone, another stormtrooper arrived a scant few seconds after he did. His HUD noted that the new arrival was designated HK-8547. The trooper took up his post next to FN-2187 without a word, standing ramrod straight like he was out on the parade ground in formation.

A few moments later FN-2187 heard approaching footsteps. He and HK-8547 straightened to attention as Kylo Ren appeared at the end of the corridor, flanked again by two other troopers. The Supreme Commander barely spared a glance at FN-2187 or HK-8547 as he swept by and into the cell. And so it began once again, even though the closed door FN-2187 could hear the screams of pain and shouting of the prisoners and Kylo Ren.

The pained screams of the prisoners lasted for all of FN-2187's shift, and just before he was to be relieved, the cell door hissed open and Kylo Ren stepped out into the corridor. The two troopers that had gone into the cell with Kylo followed him out but they were dragging a limp body between them. It was the female Resistance prisoner, and judging from the way her body was being dragged and the angle of her neck, it was obvious that her neck had been broken somehow.

"Now then Commander, why don't you wait right there and think about this," Kylo said. "How your comrade would still be alive if you had just told us about the droid sooner."

"You bastard!" Poe roared. "You didn't need to kill Cassie! She told you about BB-8, and then you just killed her!"

"I did," Kylo said. "She was also the enemy, and had no more information to give me."

"Why haven't you killed me then?"

"Because Commander Dameron, you still have to tell me where your droid is heading," Kylo said.

"I don't know," Poe snarled.

"Oh I think you do," Ren said. FN-2187 could hear the cruel smile beneath the mask. The Supreme Commander then spun on his heel and walked away down the corridor, his footsteps echoing loudly on the metal deck.

FN-2187 heard the cell door hiss close behind the Supreme Commander but just before the door sealed, FN-2187 heard something else. It was crying, the prisoner was crying. And even through the cell door was soundproof, FN-2187 could still hear the prisoner's crying ringing in his ears.

* * *

Even after two days, FN-2187 could not get the sounds of the Resistance pilot's sobbing out of his head. He knew he shouldn't care what the prisoner was doing, he was supposed to be an enemy. But FN-2187 then remembered the scenes of the village massacre that he had taken part of on the planet below, and FN-2187 began to have second thoughts about who was right. What he and his squad mates had done was nothing like what they had been trained for or had done before. He had been trained to believe that the First Order was an organization dedicated to restoring order and law to the galaxy, as well as protecting those that couldn't protect themselves.

But what happened on the planet below had nothing to do with law and order, or protecting the defenseless. It was murder and slaughtering the innocent, plain and simple. Even with the capture of the two Resistance agents, FN-2187 could not come up with a reason for why the village was slaughtered to the last being. It was not something that he believed that the First Order was supposed to be doing.

But what was he supposed to do, desert from the First Order? Impossible! And besides where would he even go, the Republic? The Resistance? FN-2187 scoffed at the thought of joining the Resistance but then that scoff died as he wondered how much of his animosity toward the Resistance was genuine or due to his First Order training.

Still why would the Resistance even accept him? More than likely they would arrest or even kill him before he could have a chance to speak. And besides how could he even reach the Resistance in the first place? It wasn't like he knew…of course the pilot! The pilot could take him to the Resistance and they would have to listen to him then.

How in the kriff would he be able to free a heavily guarded prisoner and got to the Resistance? It wasn't like he could just walk into the detention center, walk out the prisoner and steal a ship? Sounded like some sort of contrived plot from a crappy holodrama. But what choice did he have? He couldn't remain with the First Order any longer.

FN-2187 took a deep breath and began attempting to come up with a plan, step-by-step. His instructors had always hammered home the idea of taking apart a problem one step at a time, and he had received notices in his service record about his sound tactical planning abilities. Of course, they would have never imagined that he would be using those abilities to escape the First Order.

First step: How to get the prisoner out of his cell?

Second step: How to get off the Finalizer?

Third step: How to get the prisoner back to the Resistance?

Fourth step: How to escape the First Order pursuers?

FN-2187 sighed as he picked up his helmet and put it on, hearing the low hiss as it sealed itself to his armor. This was it, there would be no coming back from this but he could not go along with the First Order if they were going to be privy to the type of behavior that he witnessed down on Jakku. He had just come from a double shift of guarding the Resistance pilot after to the _Finalizer_ from the surface of Jakku, searching for the pilot's droid. FN-2187 and his squad had been sent to search a village several klicks away from where the First Order captured the Resistance pilot.

The search had not been a clean one. The squad interviewed the residents of the village vigorously but had gained no actionable intelligence from them. And when command had been informed, the village was liquidated to a man. Every resident of the village was silenced to ensure that no one talked. They were lined up and mowed down with sickening ease.

FN-2187 picked up his F-11D blaster rifle, his SE-44C service pistol and walked out of the barracks. He stayed silent as he made his way from the barracks down to the detention cells.

FN-2187's HUD showed the ID tags for the two guards outside the prisoner's cell. It showed that HP-1138 and ST-2374 were on duty. FN-2187 was glad that his helmet hid his expression as his lips twitched in a small smile. Both troopers were absolutely terrified of the Supreme Commander, if anyone invoked the Commander's name, they would jump to do anything they were asked of, exactly the type of troopers that FN-2187 needed in order to have his plan work. It also didn't hurt that the two guards were some of the most sadistic bastards that FN-2187 knew of, they had delighted in mowing down the helpless villagers on Jakku.

"Open the door you two, I have new orders to bring the prisoner to Lord Ren," RN-2187 said as he approached the guarded cell.

"I haven't heard about any new orders," HP-1138 said.

"They just came down," FN-2187 answered. "Lord Ren has something special planned for the prisoner, and has ordered him moved to a cell closer to his quarters. Are you questioning Lord Ren?" he added when neither trooper moved.

"No sir," the two troopers said quickly. ST-2374 quickly typed in the passcode to the cell and the door hissed open, reveling a battered, bruised and bloodied Poe Dameron laying on the metal ledge at the back of the cell.

"What now?" Poe asked, his voice hoarse from screaming.

"Lord Ren wants to see you, says he has something special," HP-1138 chuckled. "Now move…"

Two stun bolts lanced out and struck both HP-1138 and ST-2374 in their backs, dropping them to the floor with two loud thuds.

FN-2187 quickly removed his helmet and grabbed the helmet of HP-1138. "Hurry up and get that other set of armor on, we don't have much time," he said to the unmoving Poe.

"What are you doing?" Poe asked.

"What does it look like, I'm getting you out of here," FN-2187 said. "Now hurry up and get changed?"

"Why?"

"We don't have time for all these questions," FN-2187 growled. "A shift change is happening soon, and we need to be out in the hallway when the next two guards come by or this whole rescue will be over. Now hurry up!"

Poe didn't look convinced but he knew he didn't have much of a choice, so he began stripping one of the downed troopers' armor and putting it on. It wasn't a perfect fit but Poe would make do, he had too.

"Good, now your ID is ST-2374, and that is what you will answer too without hesitation, got it?" FN-2187 said.

"ST-what? What kind of name is that?" Poe asked as he pulled on the helmet.

"It is his serial number," FN-2187 said. "That is how we are identified."

"Ok, so I am now…" Poe asked.

"ST-2374."

"Right, and what about you?"

"FN-2187, but you will call me sir, as ST-2374 is of a lower rank than I am," FN-2187 said.

"Roger that sir," Poe said with a cocky grin that made FN-2187 rolled his eyes behind his visor.

"Let us get moving," FN-2187 said.

"Wait, what is the actual plan?" Poe asked. "Like how are we supposed to get off this ship?"

"One step at a time," FN-2187 said. "Let's just focus on getting out of the detention block first."

"Fine."

"Good, now let's move," FN-2187 said, opening the door to the cell. Poe, in his pilfered armor, stepped back into the hallway with FN-2187 right behind him.

"Good, now stand guard over there," FN-2187 said, "and don't say anything unless spoken too, got that?"

"Yes sir," Poe answered.

It was only ten minutes after they had taken up their posts outside the cell when the shift change happened. FN-2187 led Poe out of the detention block and toward the barracks. Luckily for the pair, the barracks were nearly empty when the pair arrived.

"So what now?" Poe asked.

"First off, don't remove your helmet," FN-2187 said, "and second, we need to find transport off the ship."

"Now we are talking," Poe said. "You get me in one of those TIEs, and we will be out of here in a heartbeat. So let's get going to the hanger bay."

"WE need to take a ship that is hyperspace capable," FN-2187 said. "Those will be under tight security but we should be able to get aboard one of the SF-TIE variants, they provide escort for the troop transports."

"Great, let's grab one of them," Poe said. "We need something that can get us down to Jakku and be fast enough to escape once I find my droid."

"Wait? What? Why would you want to go back down there for a droid?" FN-2187 asked.

"That droid is carrying vital information, and he's my friend, I am not going to abandon him," Poe argued.

"What information could be so vital…"

"He is holding a map to Luke Skywalker."

"Luke Skywalker? The terrorist who killed the Emperor and destroyed the Orbital Mining Station DS-1 over Yavin?" FN-2187 asked.

"Yes…wait, no, I mean, what do you mean terrorist?" Poe asked. "Skywalker is a hero, the last recognized Jedi Master. Where did you hear that poodoh about Luke Skywalker? And it was a Death Star that he destroyed, not some mining station."

"That's what they taught us during training," FN-2187 said.

"Well they lied to you."

"I am beginning to understand that Mr. Dameron," FN-2187 said. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation another time when we aren't in danger of being put in front of a firing squad."

Poe huffed but agreed. "So which way to the hanger bays?" he asked.

"First, you need to change into a pilot's flight suit," FN-2187 said, opening a locker. "Hopefully this will fit."

A few moments later, Poe was kitted out in the flight suit and ready to go.

"Good," FN-2187 nodded, looking over Poe. "Now follow me and don't say anything."

"Yes sir," Poe responded. FN-2187 didn't rebuke the man, he just turned around and led Poe out of the barracks.

It was difficult for Poe to keep his mouth shut as he followed the stormtrooper who had released him down to the hanger bay. Poe had always been a chatterbox, he could never really keep his mouth shut, especially when things were quiet or tense. And things were both quiet and tense right now but Poe knew he had to stay quiet. He would not allow these First Order stooges to get BB-8, they had already killed Cassie, they weren't going to take another one of his friends.

The doors hissing open caused Poe to look up and grin beneath his helmet, they had made it to the hanger bay.

"This way," FN-2187 whispered, nudging Poe's shoulder. He led the disguised prisoner along the edge of the hanger bay to the TIE fighters lined up in a neat row, ready to lift off at a moment's notice to either escort the troop transports, or strike against an enemy.

Poe whistled from behind his helmet. He had never seen one of the First Order TIEs up close, and certainly had never flown a TIE fighter outside of a simulator, so he was excited to see what these new models could do.

"Do you think you can fly one of these?" FN-2187 asked.

"I can fly anything," Poe said. "I am guessing that the controls are based on the Empire era TIE-fighter, correct?"

"Yes," FN-2187 said.

"Excellent," Poe said, "let's go."

The pair quickly made their way to the closest TIE fighter and climbed inside with Poe taking the pilot's chair and FN-2187 taking the gunner's seat.

"Now what?" Poe asked.

"We wait for the next of the search teams to be sent down to the planet and follow the transports until we are able to slip away," FN-2187 said.

"And how long will that be?"

"Shouldn't be much longer, there is a reason why I timed your escape when I did," FN-2187 said.

"Well then, if we have some time to spar, why did you rescue me?" Poe asked. "You are a stormtrooper, the best of the best, I thought?"

"We are," FN-2187 said, "but what happened down on Jakku was not what I believed the First Order to be. We are told that the First Order is about order, security and protecting the innocent. But what happened down on the planet's surface was murder, plain and simple."

"The First Order has been performing acts like that all across the Outer Rim for years now, how could you not know?" Poe asked.

"I suspect that my superiors have been very smart in grooming us," FN-2187 admitted. "All of my missions prior to that one was defending against pirate bands that have plagued the Outer Rim ever since the Empire fell, the groups that the New Republic has ignored in favor of focusing on only the Core worlds. The First Order, or at least what I believed the First Order to be, was the one protecting the beings that the New Republic was ignoring. You have no idea how poor things are out here in the Outer Rim for the average being. There are dozens of crime syndicates, hundreds of pirate gangs and a whole host of other threats that the First Order has fought against while the New Republic has down nothing but sit back on their laurels, and allowed corruption to infect them once again. History is repeating itself."

Poe was silent. He wanted to defend the Republic but he would be lying if he did. There was a reason he joined the Resistance; the Republic had been ignoring the Outer Rim and been focusing solely on the Core and Mid Rim planets that were wealthy and powerful. And the Senate was paralyzed into inaction regarding the First Order for several reason, including what the General suspected was allies of the First Order stopping the Senate from doing anything.

"You are not wrong about the Republic not doing enough for the Outer Rim," Poe admitted, "but the First Order isn't innocent. We know that for every good deed you supposedly perform, there are two massacres just like the one on Jakku."

"If this conversation happened two days ago, I would have leapt across this cockpit and beaten you to within an inch of your life for disrespecting the First Order," FN-2187 said, "but now, I don't know what to truly think."

Poe kept silent as he tossed the other man's words around his head. He couldn't believe it but he was feeling a small bit of sympathy for the trooper. "So what do I actually call you from now on?" Poe asked, "I mean I can't just call you by your serial number."

"I don't know," FN-2187 said, "The idea of not being by my serial number is something I never thought of before now."

"Well, this is going to have to change if we survive this," Poe said. "Your serial number is FN-2187, so I will call you Finn. How does that sound?"

"Finn," FN-2187 tested out the name. "I suppose it is better than my serial designation. Hello Poe, my name is Finn."

"Nice to meet you Finn," Poe answered.

"Nice to meet you as well Commander Dameron," the newly named Finn said. Movement in the hanger caught Finn's eye. "Heads up, it looks like they are about to send down another transport."

Just then the radio crackled in their helmets, "_Scythe Squadron, prepare for departure_," the voice of hanger control said.

"Here we go," Poe said as he started up the TIE fighter. Smoothly the fighter rose from the deck and followed the transport out of the hanger bay.

"Tighten it up Scythe Six," the radio crackled in Poe's ear.

"Roger sir," Poe responded, deftly maneuvering the TIE into a closer escort formation around the transport.

"So Finn, what is the next step of the plan?" Poe asked as the ships entered the atmosphere of Jakku.

"We need to slip away from the others," Finn said.

"I know that but how do we do that?"

"I am still thinking about it," Finn said, his voice clipped. "We should have tried to sneak aboard one of the troop transports, that would have gotten us on the ground easier but that would have also raised our chances of being discovered and trapped."

"Ok, I can understand that but it doesn't answer my question."

"I know it doesn't Poe, I suppose we will just have to take a chance when one presents itself," Finn said.

Suddenly an alert sounded in the cockpit causing Finn to curse.

"What's wrong?" Poe asked.

"That is a return to base alert," Finn said.

"Why would they send out an alert like that?"

"They must have discovered that you've escaped."

"Well, we weren't going to have all the luck," Poe said. "Get ready with those guns and hang on."

Both Poe and Finn were thrown back into their seats as Poe gunned the TIE's engines and shot away from the formation.

"Scythe Six, stand down immediately or you will be fired upon!"

Poe ignored the radio chatter and shot down toward Jakku, using the planet's gravity pull to add to his speed.

"I hope you know what you are doing Poe," Finn said, tightening his grip on the weapons controls. "Scythe Squadron is one of the elite of the First Order, and they won't stop until we are captured or destroyed."

"Well, I am the best pilot in the New Republic, so I can shake them," Poe boasted.

"Final warning Commander Dameron," the clipped voice of one of their pursuers came over the radio. "This is Captain Anders of Scythe Squadron. Power down your ship now or we will be forced to destroy you."

"Poe?" Finn asked as the other members of Scythe Squadron filled his viewport.

"Hang on," Poe said as he shifted power from the TIE's shields and weapons right into the engines. Their TIE roared deeper into the atmosphere of Jakku, buffeted by the thickening air but also now by the laser blasts coming from their pursuers.

Poe quickly swiped his forehead clear of sweat. '_Those TIEs are pretty good,_' Poe thought, as he yanked hard to the right on the control yoke to avoid a barrage of laser fire. "Hey are you going to use those cannons or not?" Poe shouted at Finn.

Finn opened his mouth to respond but no words came to him. It had been a naïve thought but Finn had hoped that he wouldn't have to fire upon his former comrades, to kill any of his former brothers-in-arms.

"Finn!" Poe shouted. "I need some support here!"

"Right!" Finn said, gripping the weapons control sticks. With a deep breath, Finn tightened his fingers on the triggers and sent laser bolts streaming out into space. The pursuing TIEs scattered, avoiding the laser fire with ease. But right behind the TIEs were a pair of bluish-white dots that were rapidly expanding.

"Missiles!" Finn cried.

"On it!" Poe shouted back as he wrenched the stick side to side, though it fought him all the way as TIEs, even the new First Order variants, were space craft and not very maneuverable in atmosphere, especially side to side due to their large vertical panels.

"Poe, those missiles are getting closer!" Finn shouted as he attempted to shoot them down but the droid brains in the missiles were able to avoid them.

"Poe!"

"I know, I know," Poe shouted.

"They are getting closer."

"I can't do much in this atmosphere," Poe said, "you either shoot them down or make for space where the others are waiting for us."

"I am trying to shoot the down but it is difficult," Finn argued. "Those missiles have the latest in counter measure tech that the First Order has."

"Well kriff," Poe growled. "Better hold on then Finn."

Poe sent the TIE fighter into as tight of a turn as he could manage, one of the missiles just missing their fighter by only a few meters.

"Poe!" Finn shouted as the second missile appeared directly in front of the view port.

Poe yanked the control stick back into his chest, hoping to have the missile shoot by beneath them but it was too late. The proximity sensor in the missile pinged and it erupted in a blinding flash that shredded the TIE's port wing, sending it spiraling toward the ground.

**A/N: Well, there you have it, the next chapter in my _The Force Awakens_ rewrite. I tried to explore more of Finn's character, considering IMO he was the most interesting character we got from TFA and was constantly under utilized throughout the trilogy. Anyway, please let me know what you think and remember, The Force will be with you always.**

**Til next time,**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ is NOT mine! It belongs to Disney, after they purchased it from the creator himself, George Lucas. I am just having some fun in the _Star Wars_ sandbox, as well as trying to fix the sequels after what I considered a lackluster and subpar effort by Disney to continue the Skywalker story. There will be elements from both Disney's canon as well as the old Expanded Universe, so sit back and enjoy!**

**Jakku**

**Jakku System**

**Western Reaches**

"What the kriff happened?" Finn groaned as he came too. Looking around, Finn saw that he was surrounded by sand and scattered pieces of wreckage. "Oh, that's right," he said before everything came rush back to him. "Poe!"

But there was no answer. Finn grimaced as he slowly got to his feet. His entire body felt as if he had just run over by an entire herd of orbecks.

"Poe, where are you?" Finn shouted. But the only thing that answered him was the wind rustling through the sand dunes and the fires crackling from the wreckage. Finn took a few stumbling steps before his feet became steadier on the hard-packed sand. He wanted to search for Poe but he knew that soon First Order search parties from the _**Finalizer**_ would descend upon the wreckage and capture him. His training instincts were screaming at him to keep moving, he had to find cover before they arrived.

"I am sorry Poe," Finn said as he took one final look at the wrecked TIE fighter before turning away and heading toward a mountain range he saw in the distance. There Finn hoped he could find some cover and perhaps even a settlement to find a way off-planet.

It was nearly nightfall when Finn reached the foothills of the mountain range. And it was just in time as when he looked back, Finn saw that the crash site had visitors. A troop dropship had landed nearby and Finn could just make out the white armored figures of stormtroopers searching the wreckage.

As Finn began the climb up the mountain side, he searched for any sign of civilization. From what he could recall from the recon data that his company had been provided prior to the attack on the village, there was some sort of outpost or another village on the other side of this mountain range. Of course that would be the first place that the First Order would look for him but it was the only outpost for close to one hundred leagues. Niima Outpost, that was what the settlement was called. And it was his only chance to find a way off-planet.

As the sun set behind the mountains, Finn found a small cave where he could hide from the scanners of the First Order, and settled down for the night. But sleep did not come easily for Finn, he had this feeling that he was being watched, like a searchlight was scanning for him and there was no cover in which for Finn to hide behind, to gain a respite and rest for a little bit. Even after Finn had moved deeper into the cave, he still couldn't shake the feeling.

Finn rose before the sun appeared over the horizon and he quietly left the cave. He knew he had to put as much distance as he could between the crash site and himself prior to nightfall or there would be a good chance that the First Order would find him.

The sun was just past its zenith when Finn saw, off in the distance, Niima Outpost. He reckoned it would take another full day to reach the Outpost, if his luck held. Looking down, Finn spotted what looked like a downed AT-AT walker at the base of the mountain, it looked abandoned and would be a good place to hide and rest for the night.

* * *

"There you are girl," a hard voice snapped as a young human female ducked under the tent flap and sat down at the table. "What have you got for me?"

Rey frowned but dumped out her bag onto the table, spilling out her findings from the morning's scavenging. She had gone deeper into the downed Star Destroyer at the northern end of the Graveyard than she had ever gone before. Normally, Rey stayed toward the outer edges of the downed ships, only the various gangs of scavengers attempted to dive deeper into the ships that littered the barren planes of Jakku, due to their ability to work as a group.

Rey had always been a loner, ever since her parents had left her behind over a decade ago. She could still feel the tear tracks that dripped down her cheeks when her parents had left her with Ryo Kuolor. The Duro had been like an uncle to Rey when she was younger, he had been the one to teach her how scavenge, how to perform basic mechanical repairs and how to defend herself. And those lessons had come in handy after Ryo had died five years ago.

Almost immediately after Ryo had breathed his last, Unkar Plutt had swooped in and forced Rey to work for him. And it had been like this for five years, day after day of scourging through dozens of wrecks for the smallest bit of useable tech that they could trade with Unkar Plutt to receive daily food portions that she needed to survive. And of course, Unkar Plutt would sell the recovered parts to visitors of the planet, keeping all the profits to himself.

Rey had heard stories about workers who had tried to keep the spoils of their scavenging to themselves but Unkar Plutt had found out, and he didn't show any mercy. The showings had given young Rey nightmares for years.

"Is this all you found girl?" the gravelly voice of Unkar Plutt asked from behind her.

"Yes sir," Rey said. The Crolute grunted and began shifting through the pieces of wreckage that Rey had laid out before him.

"I don't see any of the parts that I requested," Unkar growled.

"They weren't there," Rey said. "I didn't find any of the pieces you asked for, I am not sure if someone got there first or they just weren't there."

Unkar grunted. "Very well," he said. "One quarter portion."

Rey frowned. '_One quarter portion_,' she thought. '_This stuff was worth three full portions just last week._' But she didn't argue and grabbed the food portion on the shelf and spun away.

"Oi girl, tomorrow you better bring me something good or you'll be in big trouble," Unkar called out.

"Yes sir," Rey answered. She stomped out of the tent and headed back toward the edge of the camp.

"Rey, where are you going?" another one of Unkar Plutt's crew called out.

"Home," Rey said.

As Rey made her way through Niima Outpost, the closest thing to an actual city on Jakku, she fumed about the racket that Plutt was pulling. For the past year, Rey had noticed that Unkar had been slowly reducing the food portions he handed out for various pieces of recovered parts from the Graveyard. But Unkar didn't know everything about the Graveyard, or the planet of Jakku itself. She had lived here nearly her entire life, and knew the Graveyard and its surrounding lands like the back of her hand. She knew the secrets of this land and she would never give them up.

"Leaving already Rey?"

Rey turned to find Jerex Herm watching her from the doorway to Waray's, the only cantina in Niima Outpost that was not run by Unkar Plutt.

"What do you want Jerex? Rey asked, slowly easing her staff from her shoulder.

"Whoa there girlie, no need to get so antsy," Jerex said. "Just making small talk. Saw you storming off from Plutt's place and wondered if you wanted to talk?"

"Not today Jerex," Rey said. "I am turning in early today."

"Oh come on Rey, there is still plenty of time today," Jerex said, pushing away from the doorframe and stepping toward Rey.

"No Jerex, I said I am going home," Rey said, pointing her staff at the rugged man. "The last time we talked, I ended up losing nearly all my food rations at the sabacc table."

Jerex laughed. "I had forgotten about that," he said. "You are hopeless at sabacc, that's for sure. But seriously, all I want is to talk."

"Another time Jerex, I need to get going," Rey said.

"Oh all right Rey," Jerex said, waving his hands in front of him. "Well, next time then I suppose."

"Maybe. Have a good rest of your day Jerex," Rey said, turning away from Jerex and continuing on toward the edge of the village. The man watched her go with a slight frown before turning and going back into the cantina.

Rey gripped her bag tightly as she reached the edge of Niima Outpost, she knew that Unkar would have sent tails to follow her after she hadn't brought back the score that he had expected her too. He knew that Rey was one of the best scavengers around, and he had been hinting his suspicions that Rey had been keeping the best finds to herself.

And Plutt was correct, Rey had been keeping the best parts from her hunts for some time. Rey knew she was playing a dangerous game with Plutt but she had to get away. She was no longer going to be a slave; she was going to get off this wretched planet and leave it all behind. She had been stuck on this rock for her entire life; it had cost her her parents and Ryo; it would not take her too.

As the downed AT-AT came into view, Rey released a sigh of relief. She was home. Suddenly Rey froze when she saw a shadow moving near the AT-AT's head. She cursed and silently made her way to the bottom of the dune that half covered the walker, and pulled her staff off her shoulder.

"Get away from there!" Rey shouted as she jumped down from the head of the AT-AT, landing behind the intruder, her staff poised to strike.

The intruder leapt in surprise, falling to the ground. Rey blinked when she got a good look at the trespasser. He was a young dark-skinned man around her age, wearing an all-black coverall.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Who are you?" the man asked at the same time.

"I asked first, and you are the one trespassing on my property," Rey said, taking a step forward, her staff now less than a meter from his face. "Now who are you?"

The man held up his hands, showing that he wasn't carrying a weapon but Rey didn't lower hers. She knew that those who lived on Jakku didn't need weapons to hurt another.

"I asked, who are you?"

"My name is FN…I mean, I'm Finn," the man said.

"So Finn, what are you doing out here?" Rey asked. "I've never seen you before."

"My ship crashed in the desert about twenty klicks from here," Finn said. "I was looking for a place to spend the night. I didn't realize that someone lived here."

"Well someone does," Rey answered. "Niima Outpost is three klicks that way," she said, pointing over her shoulder.

"Please, do you have any water or supplies to spare," Finn pleaded. "I've been traveling for two days now. I…"

Suddenly Finn pitched forward and collapsed to the sand, his shoulder slamming into the AT-AT's leg. He gave a brief cry of pain before falling unconscious.

"Kriff!" Rey cursed as she dropped her staff and dropped to her knees next to Finn. She could tell that Finn's shoulder was dislocated and there was a gash on his forehead that would need treatment. Normally, she would just ignore the situation, that was the way things were on Jakku, you had to look out for yourself first, and only yourself, or you would be ripped to pieces.

But something in her gut told Rey that this man was important, she couldn't explain it. When he had looked at her, Rey had seen the fear and desperation in his eyes. This Finn was no threat to her but he needed help and she could provide it. And so with a sigh of frustration, Rey leaned down and took Finn's dislocated arm in her hand.

"Ah!" Finn screamed as he regained consciousness in a very painful fashion.

"Good, you are awake," Rey said, standing up and brushing off the sand from her trousers.

"What happened?" Finn asked, sitting up and slowly rotating his shoulder.

"You fainted and hit your shoulder, dislocating it," Rey said. "I set it and you woke up."

"Oh, thank you then," Finn said. He then noticed the blood dripping from his forehead.

"Come inside and we will get that cleaned," Rey said, tossing Finn a cloth before turning around and ducking into the leg of the AT-AT walker. Finn wiped his face clean of blood then followed Rey into the AT-AT.

"Sit down," Rey ordered, pushing a crate toward Finn while rummaging through another crate. "Here we are."

Finn looked up to see the woman holding a dirty and dusty med pack that looked like it was nearly 50 years old. He watched as she opened the pack and pulled out a can of disinfectant and a bandage.

"Who are you?" Finn asked, catching the can and bandage that the woman had tossed to him.

"My name doesn't matter," Rey answered. "Once you are finished with that, you can leave. Like I said, Niima Outpost is three klicks west of here."

"Do you have any water to spare, I haven't had anything to drink in days," Finn asked after securing the bandage to his forehead.

Rey looked at the man, she could tell he wasn't lying. He looked like he was about to topple over again at any moment. "Fine, I can spare you some," Rey said, turning around and grabbing a bottle off a nearby shelf. She turned back to the man and was about to hand over the bottle when she froze, hearing something outside.

"Sithspit, a sandstorm," Rey growled as she scrambled to the doorway. "Well, you won't be going anywhere until that storm passes."

"Thank you," Finn said. "If I am going to be staying here, can I know your name then?"

"Rey," she said.

"Rey…"

"Just Rey," she snapped. "I don't have another bunk for you, so you'll have to make do."

"That's fine," Finn said. "I've slept in worse places before but thank you Rey."

Rey just nodded before turning away from Finn. Behind her, Finn spotted what looked like an old flight simulator but Finn couldn't tell what type of model. He also spotted a battered Rebel pilot's helmet on a shelf above the simulator.

"You are welcome," Rey said. "But I want you out of here at dawn, or when the storm passes, that should give you enough time to reach Niima Outpost before it gets too hot."

"Very well, again thank you Rey for the shelter and supplies," Finn said.

"How did you get here anyway?" Rey asked. "I know you said your ship crashed in the badlands and you were heading toward Niima Outpost but you don't look like a pilot. And there is something you aren't telling me."

"I am just trying to get off planet as fast as possible," Finn answered.

"Why? What is chasing you?"

"Chasing me? Nothing is chasing me."

"You are lying," Rey said, a small holdout blaster pistol appearing in her hand.

"No, I'm…" Finn trailed off seeing the look in Rey's eyes, he wasn't fooling her. "All right, all right, the First Order is chasing me."

"The First Order! Why? Are you part of the Resistance then?"

Finn thought about saying yes but recalled how Rey had called him out for lying, he thought better of it. "No, I am not a member of the Resistance," he said. "I am…or was a stormtrooper for the First Order."

"A stormtrooper!" Rey said, her blaster coming up again.

"Wait! I am no longer a part of the First Order," Finn cried. "I am trying to defect! I was trying to escape with a Resistance prisoner but we were shot down. The prisoner, I mean Poe, didn't survive the crash."

"Why were you trying to defect then?" Rey asked.

"I couldn't stay there any longer, not after what I had seen and done," Finn said. He saw the look in Rey's eyes and winced. "You wouldn't understand. I was trained for as long as I can remember by the First Order, and was raised to believe that the First Order was the only hope for restoring peace, order and justice to the galaxy. The First Order is smart, it isn't just some reborn Galactic Empire, though that is its goal. We were trained to believe that we were part of a military company tasked with protecting the Outer Rim and places that the New Republic didn't care about. And that is what we did, we roamed the Outer Rim taking down pirates and smuggling rings, protecting those who the Republic couldn't or wouldn't. But that all changed when we came here."

"Why?" Rey asked, her pistol lowering slightly but still held at her side, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

"My company was ordered to accompany a high-ranking member of the First Order to a villager here on Jakku while he searched for an artifact," Finn said. "But that was a lie. We were dropped right into a firefight and we ended up eliminating everyone in the village because there was a Resistance spy being harbored there."

"So you killed an entire village?"

Finn's head dropped. "Yes," he admitted, staring at his hands. "They were just peaceful beings wanting to live their lives away from everything, and we just slaughtered them like animals. It was after that and seeing how callously they treated the New Republic pilot and his partner after we captured them."

"So you tried to defect, and brought the pilot with you to barter your freedom I suppose?" Rey asked.

Finn nodded. "But the First Order shot down the fighter we were using and Poe was killed," he said. "Now I have no way of convincing the Resistance not to just string me up when I reach them."

"Don't you mean if you reach the Resistance?" Rey corrected. "I mean you don't have a ship to leave Jakku with, and you don't know where the Resistance is even at, do you?"

"I don't know where the Resistance is right now," Finn admitted. "But I will find out once I find Poe's droid."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Rey asked.

"Poe said that he had sent his droid toward a hiding place that was about 15 or 20 klicks away from the village that the First Order attacked," Finn said. "So that is where I am headed."

"Where was this village?"

"Southwest of here," Finn said.

Rey's eyes narrowed. "There's no way," she whispered but Finn heard it.

"What are you talking about?" Finn asked. "Do you know where the droid is supposed to go?"

Rey hesitated. She had an idea where the meeting place might be, and if she was right, then how could this First Order stormtrooper know about it, let alone a member of the Resistance. Her parents had made her swear to never speak of this place. It was her most sacred hiding sport, and one that she knew held the key to her escape from Jakku.

"You do know what Poe was talking about don't you?" Finn asked.

"No of course I don't," Rey said.

"You are lying."

"I am not."

"Yes you are, I can tell," Finn said. "Look, I am not trying to get you in trouble, I just need to know where that droid might be?"

"Why do you need to find that droid so much?" Rey countered.

"It is my only chance to finding the Resistance and them not shooting me on sight," Finn said. "And I owe it to Poe."

Rey frowned. She never really interacted with strangers but something was telling her that Finn was not looking to harm her. Her parents had always told her to follow her instincts, and they had very rarely steered her wrong.

"Look Finn, I don't know for sure if I know where your droid is supposedly going," she said. "But I will show you where it might be going. We will leave once the storm ends."

"Thank you Rey," Finn said.

"Whatever, the sooner you are gone, the better," Rey said.

* * *

"Get up Finn, the storm has passed," Rey said, nudging Finn awake.

The former stormtrooper was alert in an instant, sitting up and reaching for his belt but his hand come away empty, and he remembered that he had lost his blaster in the crash.

"Get up, we need to reach the hanger quickly if you are to find that droid," Rey said.

"Hanger?" Finn asked. "There's a hanger around here? I don't remember there being one of the plans we were shown of the planet."

"That is because it is a secret!" Rey said. "Now let's go!"

"If it is a secret, how do you know about it?"

"I just do, now no more questions, let's go!"

Finn had more questions but could tell that Rey wasn't going to answer them. He quickly got to his feet and followed Rey out into the early morning sun. She led him over the sand dune that partially hid the AT-AT that was her home, and Finn saw a beaten-up reddish-brown speeder waiting for them.

"Get on behind me," Rey said as she climbed onto the speeder. Finn quickly climbed up behind Rey. "Hold onto the handles, not me," she added when Finn made to put his arms around her waist.

"Sorry," Finn said. He reached down and found some handles just as Rey started up the speeder. He nearly tumbled off the back as the speeder jerked forward and began speeding off into the desert.

"How do you know about this place?"

"Stop asking questions," Rey snapped. "You are distracting me."

"From what? There isn't anything around here for miles!"

"You keep talking and I'll throw you off this speeder and leave you out here," Rey shouted.

A few moments later Rey brought the speeder to a stop and hopped off. Finn quickly scrambled off after her. Finn raised his hand to block the rising sun as he looked up at the mountain towering above them.

"Come on, the ground entrance is over here," Rey said. Finn followed Rey as she began walking up a slope toward what looked like a shelf on the mountain face.

It took the pair another half hour to crest the shelf and Finn's jaw dropped when he saw nothing but mountain side.

"What's going on? I don't see a hanger here," Finn said.

"Of course you don't," Rey said. "It is hidden, did you really think that it would be that easy to find?"

Finn watched as Rey walked over to the mountain face and pushed a small stone. To Finn's amazement, there was a keypad behind the stone and Rey entered a code into the pad. A low rumbling sound echoed around the pair as half the mountain face seemed to split open reveling a large hanger that was slowly being lit up. Finn's jaw dropped when he saw a small ship sitting in the hanger.

Finn had no idea what kind of ship it was, it certainly wasn't anything that the First Order would design. The main body of the freighter tapered down from a wide engine housing to narrow, triangular cockpit, in which a large canopy would provide an excellent view of the stars. Finn spotted a pair of laser cannons hanging from beneath the cockpit, and was sure there were more weapons hidden somewhere in the ship's hull. The ship looked more like a family vessel than a warship.

"Whose ship is this?" Finn asked.

"Mine," Rey said.

"Yours?"

"Yes, mine," Rey said, "have a problem with that?"

"No, of course not. I just thought if you had a ship, you wouldn't be living in a downed Imperial-era walker," Finn said.

"That is because no one knows about this place," Rey said, "at least no one alive that is."

"What?" Finn asked, turning to Rey but coming face to face with a blaster pistol held by Rey.

"How did you know of this place?" Rey demanded.

"I told you already, Poe Dameron of the New Republic told me that his droid might be heading in this direction," Finn said. "I didn't know what might be here when I got here. I swear to you that's the truth."

Rey frowned but could tell that Finn was telling the truth. "So where is this droid then?" she asked.

"I don't know," Finn said. "He just said that the droid was supposedly heading here. I don't know if it made it here or not, I don't even know what type of droid Poe was even talking about?"

Suddenly there came a sharp whistling. Rey and Finn spun around and saw a small spherical droid roll out of the shadows. The droid was painted orange and while, though most of the droid's body was covered in reddish dirt from the Jakku desert.

"Is that it?" Rey asked.

"I am not sure, I told you Poe didn't tell me what his droid looked like," Finn said. He then turned to the droid. "Are you Poe Dameron's droid?"

The droid whistled brightly, swiveling its eye back and forth as if looking for Poe.

"I am sorry but Poe isn't with us," Finn said.

"That is because I am right here Finn," a pained voice came from the lowered boarding ramp of the freighter.

"Poe!"

A bruised, battered and bloody Poe Dameron limped his way down the boarding ramp, one arm was holding his stomach and in the other hand was a blaster pistol, that was aimed right at Rey.

"Hello Finn, who is your friend?" Poe asked.

"Easy Poe, this is Rey," Finn said. "She saved me and brought me here. I thought you were dead; how did you survive the crash?"

"I was thrown clear of the fighter just before we crashed," Poe said. "I tried to find you when I reached the crash site but couldn't stay long because the First Order was closing in."

"I did the same," Finn said. "I looked for you but couldn't stay long. How did you get here then?"

"I brought him," a new male voice came from behind Poe.

"Jerex!" Rey said, her pistol appearing in her hand. "Why did you bring him here?" she demanded, glaring at Poe.

"He saved my life," Poe growled. "He found me wandering in the desert and treated my wounds."

"And so you brought him here?" Rey asked. "You brought him to a secret hanger…"

"And you did the same thing with Finn, didn't you?" Poe retorted causing Rey to close her mouth and glare. "Look, I don't know who you are or how you knew about this place, but I do want to thank you for bringing Finn here. I don't know your history with Jerex here, and I don't care honestly, I just want to get out of here before the First Order shows up and kills us all. So I suppose the question is, are you coming with us or not?"

"With you?" Rey asked. "Why would I go with you?"

"I saw the modifications that were made to the ship," Poe said, "and they are a mix of parts from both Rebellion and Imperial ships, probably taken from the wrecks out there in the Graveyard. I'm guessing that you were the one to make those modifications to the ship and I doubt that you have told anyone about them, which tells me that if anyone finds out, you'll be in big trouble. And big trouble on a planet like this is not something I would want to leave a lovely young woman like yourself in."

Rey's glare was weakened due to her slight blush. "You aren't taking that ship anywhere without me," she said, walking up to Poe. "My parents left me that ship, and Ryo and I have been fixing it up for years so we can get off this barren piece of rock."

"Wait, Ryo? That Duro that died like five years ago," Jerex said. "He knew about this place too?"

"This hanger was part of the Empire's outpost here on Jakku back in the day," Poe explained, "and from what I know, only a select few Rebel agents knew about it. Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter now," Rey said. "You aren't taking my ship without me."

"When did I say you weren't coming along?" Poe said. "You know this ship better than me, and while I can fly just about anything, I'm not dumb enough to go messing around with someone else's ship. Get on board."

"No one is going anywhere," Jerex said, a pair of blaster pistols in his hands. "Unkar will be very happy with what I've found. He's been wondering why your finds haven't been as productive as of late Rey, and he put out quite the reward for anyone who discovers where you were hiding the parts you were stealing."

"I was not stealing!" Rey shouted. "I found those parts myself; they aren't Plutt's at all, they are mine!"

"You work for Plutt, anything you find belongs to him," Jerex said. "Now keep walking Dameron, you and the deserter will save my skin from the First Order. Plutt and crew should be here soon enough."

"You told Plutt!" Rey shouted.

"Of course I did," Jerex said. "I'm not letting a score like this place get pulled out from under me. Now move it!"

Poe slowly made his way down the ramp with Jerex behind him, one blaster aimed at Poe's back and the other pointing toward Finn and Rey. The three were slowly marched over toward the hanger wall. A comlink beeped.

"Yes?" Jerex asked.

"Is it done?" Unkar's voice growled.

"It is," Jerex said. "I have the girl and the ship. Do you have my payment?"

"You'll get your cut Jerex," Plutt said. "Now get the door open."

"Roger that boss," Jerex said, turning off the comlink and turning back to the trio. "Open the hanger door," he ordered Finn.

"I don't know how," Finn said.

"Rey, you do it!"

"I won't," Rey shouted. "You are stealing my ship and handing me over to Unkar, you know what he will do to me!"

"It is either me or you Rey," Jerex said. "I am sorry Rey, but I have to do this. Now open the door!"

"I won't!" Rey shouted. As she did, Rey felt something rise within her, a surge of energy that just kept building. "Let us go, now!"

Jerex, Finn and Poe all cried out as they were suddenly thrown into the air as a wave of something burst out of Rey. Jerex cried out as he was flung across the hanger and slammed into a cargo container and slumped to the floor. Poe and Finn scrambled to their feet as Rey swayed unsteadily.

"Finn, grab Rey and get onboard the ship," Poe ordered. "Now!"

Finn leapt into action. He grabbed Rey just before she could hit the floor, unconscious, and carried her up the boarding ramp.

Poe turned to the slowly coming around Jerex, a blaster pistol in his hand. "Don't even try it," Poe growled as Jerex looked and spotted one of his pistols just out of his reach.

"Are you going to kill me Dameron?" Jerex asked. "I saved your life, you owe me."

"That is true," Poe admitted. "You did save my life, but you also sold us out and I am certainly guessing that your boss would have no problem selling me out to the First Order, so don't try and barter with what I might have owed you."

A single blaster shot rang out in the hanger and Jerex slumped to the floor, a blaster burn over his heart. Poe holstered his pistol and walked up the boarding ramp. "Let's go BB-8," he said. The droid whistled lowly and followed its owner up the ramp.

As Poe headed toward the cockpit, he saw Rey laying on a bunk, breathing evenly. He frowned at the young girl but made his way up into the cockpit where Finn was looking around.

"Are we ready to take off?" Poe asked.

"I have no clue," Finn said. "Need I remind you; I was trained as a stormtrooper not a pilot, that's your specialty."

"Point taken," Poe said. He took a look around the cockpit. "Strap yourself into the co-pilot's chair, BB-8, you plug in as well and try and open the hanger door."

BB-8 beeped and rolled into position, extending his data plug. Finn sat down behind Poe and quickly strapped himself in.

"I thought that you said you wouldn't be able to fly this with all the modifications that Rey made?" Finn asked as he watched Poe flip switches and toggle some buttons on the control panel.

"Well, we will have to hope that I can figure things out," Poe said, "otherwise we are all dead."

The ship shuddered as the engines coughed to life.

"All right," Finn said.

"Get those doors open BB," Poe said as he engaged the repulsorlifts and the ship began to hover. BB-8 beeped and the hanger doors slowly began to open. "That's my droid," Poe said with a grin as he retracted the landing struts.

"Poe!" Finn cried out as the hanger door fully opened, reveling a group of speeder waiting outside, all with blaster cannons aimed at them.

"BB, bring up the shields!" Poe shouted as he grabbed the control yoke and fed more power to the engines. The droid beeped as it brought the shield's up just as the blaster cannons on the speeders opened up.

"Nice work buddy," Poe said as the ship cleared the hanger doors. Poe pulled back hard on the control yoke and pushed the engines to full power. As the ship rocketed skyward, Poe grinned fiercely when he heard the explosions of the speeders erupting into fireballs due to the jet wash of the engines.

"Whatever Rey did to these engines really worked," Poe laughed. "This baby has got quite the kick."

"So what is the plan now Poe?" Finn asked.

"We make open space and meet up with the Resistance," Poe said.

"Simple, I like it," Finn said. "But what about Rey?"

"We will deal with her later," Poe said.

Suddenly BB-8 began beeping wildly.

"What's wrong buddy?" Poe asked.

"Um Poe, you might want to step on it," Finn said. "Check the sensors!"

Poe glanced down at the sensor screen and cursed. A large contact had just appeared on the screen and was quickly approaching.

"Is that what I think it is?" Finn asked.

"If you think it is that First Order Destroyer that we escaped from, then you are probably right," Poe said. "Keep an eye on it while I bring up the coordinates for the jump to hyperspace. BB-8, put all possible power into the engines, we need to get clear of the gravity well before we are in range of their guns."

The droid beeped and for a brief second, Poe and Finn were pressed back into their seats by the acceleration. But the happy beeps from BB-8 quickly become mournful as the sensors began blaring an alarm.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Poe shouted, slapping his hand on the arm of his chair. "That destroyer has interdiction technology as well."

"Of course," Finn said. "The designers made sure that all the **_Resurgent-class_** **Star Destroyers** in the fleet had at least one gravity well generator. They thought that it would make it easier to catch pirates and such, rather than building a separate ship for it."

"Of course they did," Poe growled. "But now, they've activated that generator and have it angled in our direction, which means we can't make the jump to lightspeed."

"Kriff," Finn cursed. "What do we do now?"

"Just out run them and hope we can find an opening to make the jump to lightspeed," Poe said. "Now hold on!" Poe hit the thrusters again and angled the ship toward open space, away from the pursuing Destroyer.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Finn turned to see Rey standing in the doorway of the cockpit.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Poe fired back, "I'm trying to get the hell away from Jakku and that First Order destroyer bearing down on us."

"What happened? How did you manage to get us away from Jerex and Unkar?" Rey demanded.

"I killed Jerex and blew up most of Unkar's gang when we took off," Poe said.

"You what!" Rey shouted, grabbing the back of Finn's seat as the ship was rocked by a turbolaser blast.

"Not the best time right now for this discussion Rey," Finn said. "Perhaps if we survive, then we can talk about things."

"Fine," Rey said. "Now get out of my chair."

"What are you talking about?" Poe asked.

"I'm the one who should be flying this ship, as it is mine."

"Again, not the best time for this discussion!" Finn shouted.

"Fine then, you, out of the co-pilot's chair," Rey said, pointing at Finn. The ex-stormtrooper unbuckled himself and scrambled out of the chair. Rey slid in and began toggling switches on the console next to her.

"What are you doing?" Poe asked.

"I am rerouting power to the engines," Rey said. "And preparing the afterburners."

"Afterburners?" Finn asked. "This ship has afterburners?"

"Of course it does," Rey said. "That was one of the first things I changed."

"Well, get them up and running," Poe shouted. "We need to get out of range of that ship's grav-well generator or we won't be going anywhere."

"On it," Rey said."

* * *

"We will have them in tractor beam range within 30 seconds," a member of the bridge crew called out.

"Good," Kylo Ren said as he watched the small ship desperately attempt to flee from the _**Finalizer**_. There was no way a ship that small could hope to outrun his flagship, the only ship that could possibly do it was the…no, he would not think of that ship. "Prepare the boarding party, and make sure their weapons are set to stun. But once we have what we need," Kylo said, the leather of his glove creaking as he clenched it tightly.

"Ten more seconds sir," the technician called out. "Nine, eight, seven, six, five…"

"Sir, I have sensor contacts coming out of hyperspace!" another voice called out.

"What!?"

* * *

"Commander Dameron, swing about to point six seven," a new voice called out over the comms.

"Roger that," Poe said as he yanked back hard on the control yoke. "Hang on everyone, cavalry is here."

"Who is that?" Rey asked.

"Friends," Poe said.

A _**Venator-class**_ **Star Destroyer** along with a _**Rendili** _**Assault Frigate** suddenly dropped out of hyperspace, and the destroyer quickly began releasing fighters. A squadron of X-Wings raced by, heading toward the First Order capital ship.

"Go get them Black Squadron," Poe said.

"Who was that? Who are those people out there?" Finn asked.

Before Poe could answer, BB-8 beeped.

"What the kriff is going on?" Rey asked. "I just lost control of the navicomputer, has someone taken control of my ship?"

"Easy Rey," Poe said. "The controls are being slaved to a friend. We just can't show up to a Resistance base unannounced, we'd be blown out of space before we could get a word in."

"How can you be so sure that the ones doing this are the Resistance?" Finn asked.

"This ship was left behind by the Rebellion, and the Resistance would be the only ones with the command codes to take control of it," Poe said.

A large explosion rocked their ship. The trio looked out the canopy and were dismayed to see one less capital ship in the skies above Jakku. The assault frigate that had arrived with the Resistance had apparently succumbed to a barrage from the First Order Star Destroyer but the Destroyer had taken damage as well. BB-8 beeped from the sensor console.

"The gravity well is down," Poe said.

"Hold on Poe and friends," a male voice came over the comms, "we are about to jump to lightspeed. Strap in and enjoy the ride."

"Thanks Black Five," Poe said just as the stars became starlines and they jumped to the safety of hyperspace.

* * *

The bridge of the _**Finalizer**_ was silent as the cold vacuum of space that surrounded it. All eyes were fixed on the tall figure of Kylo Ren.

"Did anyone get a bearing on where they might be going?" Kylo asked.

"No sir," a bridge crew member said bravely. "The destruction of that frigate blocked our sensor's scan of their telemetry."

"Very well," Kylo growled. "Send out teams to search the wreckage of that ship, there might be a clue to where the Resistance might be hiding or where they are going."

"Yes sir."

Kylo spun on his heel and stalked out of the bridge, his cloak billowing out behind him as he left, leaving shivering and silent crew members behind.

**A/N: Well, I'm back! Sorry about the long delay, been pretty busy with everyone going on around the world. I hope that everyone is staying safe, and sane with all the craziness. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was pretty fun to write. I wanted to expand on Rey and her backstory, or at least give her one, instead of what actually happened in TFA. It would have been pretty easy, IMO, to drop in a few lines of dialogue and a scene or two to give Rey a quick and dirty backstory or why she was on Jakku. Let me know what you all think of the chapter, and until next time**

**MTFBWY**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any rights to the _Star Wars _franchise, that is all Disney, at the behest of George Lucas. I am just having some fun in the amazing sandbox that George Lucas created, and trying to 'fix' the issues that I saw in the sequel trilogy that Disney created. **

* * *

**Aboard the **_**Silver Explorer**_

**Somewhere in Hyperspace**

"Where are we going?" Rey asked Poe for what had to be the one hundredth time since they had entered hyperspace.

"Like I told you the last ninety-nine times, I don't know Rey," Poe said. "Only that it will be a safe base. So just sit back and relax."

"How can I relax when I have just been kidnapped and brought into a war that I wanted no part of?" Rey argued.

"We didn't kidnap you," Poe argued. "Would you rather have been left behind for Unkar Plutt to deal with you?" Rey frowned. "Look, I understand you have been given a rough hand of sabacc but I am sure once we get to the base, they will let you leave."

"Like you let Jerex go?" Rey retorted.

"Jerex was selling us out," Poe fired back. "Are you going to sell us out as well?"

"Of course not."

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Poe said. "Look Rey, I promise that I will do all I can to make sure you can go your own way once we reach the base."

Rey sat down in the co-pilot's chair with a frown. "Fine," she said. After a moment of silence, she then asked, "What are you doing on Jakku anyway? What could have brought both the Resistance and the First Order to Jakku?"

Poe turned to Finn. "You didn't tell her?"

"Why would I?" Finn asked. "All I said was that I had to find your droid and get off Jakku."

"What is so important about the droid?" Rey asked. "It looks like a standard astromech."

A series of rude sounding beeps came from BB-8.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you BB-8," Rey said.

"You can understand him?" Poe asked.

"For the most part," Rey said. "I grew up around droids and machines, so learning binary was pretty important."

"I suppose that is understandable," Poe said. "But BB-8 is one of a kind, he's my best friend, we have been through a lot together, haven't we buddy?"

The droid whistled happily.

"So why was the First Order looking for him so seriously?" Rey asked. "I would have thought they would have just destroyed him."

"He is carrying a vital piece of data, one that could change the whole course of the war," Poe said.

"And what might that be?"

"A piece of a star chart that will lead to the first Jedi Temple," Poe said.

"Ok, I can see why the Resistance would want that, I think. But why would the First Order want it? They hate the Jedi, don't they? I remember hearing rumors that they were behind the attack on the Jedi Temple a few years ago."

"They were," Poe said. "But it is also where the General believes her brother has gone too after surviving the attack."

"Who is this General, and who is her brother?"

"General Leia Organa Solo," Finn said. "And her brother is Jedi Master Luke Skywalker."

Rey blinked, silent as she tried to process what she had just been told. "You are telling me that your droid is carrying a map to Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Rebellion and the last Jedi."

"Possibly," Poe said. "We don't know if Luke went to the Temple that this map leads too, it is just what the General thinks he might have gone there. No one has seen Master Skywalker since the attack on the Temple but the General would have felt it if he had been killed."

"Why has no one seen Skywalker since the attack?" Rey asked.

"No one really knows," Poe said, "or at least, the General isn't telling the public what she knows or suspects."

"What does Organa expect Skywalker to do if she finds him?" Rey asked. "Walk out and face down the whole First Order?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Poe said. "She will probably smack Master Skywalker upside the head and then hug him."

"It sounds like you are close to Organa Poe?" Finn asked.

"I suppose I am," Poe admitted, leaning back in the pilot's chair. "I have been working under the General for over a decade now, and she has always been straight with those under her, certainly more than a lot of the other officers that I've served under in the Republic. She cares more about doing what is right than what is politically convenient. She warned the New Republic about the First Order, and was called a warmonger for it. In the end, she was driven out of the Republic because no one was willing to trust her. Now, it had been building for a time, ever since the Edict was passed into law and her brother was sent into exile."

"Edict? Exile?" Rey asked.

"You don't know about that?" Finn asked.

"It isn't like we got the HoloNet out on Jakku," Rey snarked, causing Finn to nod.

"After the Empire was defeated, people were sick and tired of war," Poe said. "Think about it, there had been two galaxy-spanning wars in less than 30 years after nearly a millennium of peace. And both of those wars were because of those who would use the Force. So the galaxy voted."

"What did they vote on?"

"What to do with those who could use the Force," Poe answered.

"And what did they vote to do?" Rey asked.

"The galaxy voted to exile any and all Force sensitives into the Unknown Regions," Poe said. "Including the hero, the legend Luke Skywalker."

"How could they do that to the man who saved the galaxy from Darth Vader and the Emperor?"

"Like I said, the galaxy was tired of war. Most thought, rightfully so, that the last two wars came down to a power struggle between the Jedi and the Sith."

"It sounds like you agreed with the decision then Poe?" Finn asked.

"Seven hells no!" Poe said. "The galaxy turned on its biggest hero in my eyes. My parents are old enough to remember the Clone Wars, and saw the heroics of the Jedi, and they fought in the Galactic Civil War. So they told me stories about Skywalker, about how he destroyed the first Death Star, how he dueled Vader twice and then defeated both Vader and the Emperor on the second Death Star over Endor. And after all that he had done, the galaxy just tossed him aside!"

Finn and Rey glanced at one another, both realizing that this was a sore subject for Poe.

"Poe, I think we get it," Finn said. "Surely there were some who were against it, right?"

"Plenty, in fact, most of the Resistance and our allies were against the Edict but it didn't matter when Skywalker himself agreed to go into exile," Poe explained.

"He agreed?" Finn and Rey asked.

Poe nodded. "Stunned everyone," he said. "No one is sure why he agreed but after that, a lot of the fight went out of the group and it became the status quo. Not even the General knows for sure why her brother stopped fighting. The only thing I know is that after the Temple was attacked, Skywalker vanished."

"So Skywalker was trying to recreate the Jedi Order even after he was exiled, why though?" Rey asked. "Why not just let the Jedi end if the galaxy didn't want them?"

"Because the Jedi are not the only people who can use the Force," Finn said. "The First Order has their own group of Force users."

"They do?" Poe asked, his face pale.

"Yes, the Knights of Ren they are called," Finn said. "And their leader is Kylo Ren, the Supreme Commander of the First Order, only second to the Supreme Leader himself."

"Ok, so the Resistance wants the Jedi to return to counter these Knights of Ren?" Rey asked.

"That would be one reason, though I had never heard of these Knight of Ren," Poe said. "But the Republic lasted for thousands of years in no small part because of the Jedi Order, so for the Republic to survive, it will need the Jedi."

"If you say so Poe," Rey said.

Just then a signal beeped from the console, causing the trio to stop and look up.

"Finally," Rey said. "We will be exiting hyperspace in a minute."

"Good," Poe said.

The starlines suddenly burst into pinpricks of starlight and a mid-sized planet appeared above the canopy. The planet was covered in large swathes of blue and green.

"Wow," Rey whispered. "I don't think I've seen this much green ever. Where are we?"

"Takodana," Poe said.

"Is this a Resistance base?" Finn asked.

"Not really," Poe said. "But it is a safe haven."

"_**Silver Explorer**_, you are cleared to land at platform five," a curt voice said over the comlink. "You will be escorted down to the planet, and if you try and flee, you will be destroyed."

"Understood," Poe said, taking over manual control of the ship.

"Wait, the ship is called the _**Silver Explorer**_?" Finn asked.

"Apparently," Rey said. "I never bothered finding out the name while fixing it up. _**Silver Explorer**_, I suppose it fits."

**Takodana**

**Takodana-System**

**Tashtor Sector**

**Western Reaches**

"So now what?" Rey asked as Poe lowered the boarding ramp.

"We get debriefed," Poe said. "Don't worry Rey, you'll be fine."

"I am the one who has to be worried," Finn said. "I suppose they know about my past already, right Poe?"

Poe nodded. "Sorry Finn," he said. "But I will be with you, I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I understand Poe, I do," Finn said. "If the situation was reversed, you would be in binders and already have gone through a preliminary questioning period."

"I know Finn, I went through it already," Poe said.

"So you are still alive then Dameron?" a rough male voice asked as the trio reached the bottom of the ramp. "And who are these two?"

"General Solo," Poe grinned. "Did you really think that I would be that easy to kill?"

Rey and Finn stiffened as a tall man with graying brown hair approached the ramp. Beside him was a towering Wookie cradling a large bowcaster.

"This is Rey," Poe said. "She helped us get off Jakku with this ship, said that her parents had shown her the hanger where the ship was."

"Rey?" Han Solo asked, peering at Rey with narrowed eyes. "You said that your parents told you about a secret hanger on Jakku where this ship just happened to be. Who are your parents?"

"You're Han Solo!" Rey whispered. "And you are Chewbacca!"

"We are," Han said. "Now that we have established that, who are you?"

"I am just Rey," she answered. "Can I take my ship and go? I have no business in this fight."

"That ship belonged to a couple friends of mine, how did you find it?" Han asked.

"Poe told you, my parents showed me."

"What were your parents' names?"

"I just knew them as mom and dad," Rey said.

Han just frowned. "Fine then," he said. "Regarding you leaving, you'll have to wait a bit Rey, we need to make sure you weren't followed or will betray us."

"Why would I betray you?" Rey asked. "I just saved Poe and brought him back to you."

Chewbacca growled from behind Han.

"I suppose that is true but what about your other friend?"

"This is Finn," Poe said when Finn didn't answer. "He helped me escape from the First Order, he wants to defect."

"Defect?" Han asked, his hand dropping to the butt of his blaster.

"Yes sir," Finn said, stepping forward and placing his hands on his head. "My designation was FN-2187, I was a stormtrooper in the First Order until they showed their true colors."

"A stormtrooper?" Han shouted, his blaster appearing in his hand. Chewie's bowcaster was also aimed at Finn who didn't move. "Explain Dameron!"

"It is as he says General," Poe said. "Finn rescued me from the First Order when I was captured. He wants to defect, I trust him."

"You can't expect me to just take your word on this Dameron," Han said. "He could be playing you, waiting to betray us."

"I don't believe that sir," Poe said, not backing down from the stare of Han Solo or the weapons that had been drawn. "Finn risked his life to free me from the First Order, and even after thinking I was dead, tried to get the map back here. I trust him."

"You might Commander, but we need to make sure," Han said. He motioned forward two fatigue wearing soldiers. Han turned to Finn and said, "These two will be your guides for the time being, is that understood?"

"Understood General," Finn said.

"Come with us," one of the soldiers said, gesturing with his blaster rifle. Finn just nodded and allowed himself to be led away toward a large stone structure."

"Now then Commander, do you have the map?" Han asked.

"BB-8 does," Poe said as the droid rolled forward. "What is going to happen to Finn?"

"Nothing as long as he cooperates," Han said. "If he is legitimate about defecting, then he will be treated well but we need to make sure. We don't know much of anything about the First Order and this could be too good to be true."

Poe sighed. "I can understand your skepticism General but I believe Finn," he said.

"I hope you are right Poe, I really do," Han said. Chewie grumbled his agreement. "Come on you two," he added to Poe and Rey.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you," Rey said. "I want to leave."

"Not until you answer some questions," Han said.

"So I am your prisoner now too?"

"Do you want to know what happened to your parents kid or not?"

Rey froze at Han's retort. "You know my parents" she asked, stepping forward.

"If you are who I think you are, then yes, I did know them," Han said. "Now come on."

He turned away and started walking off the landing platform with Chewbacca and Poe following. Rey stood alone on the platform for a moment before huffing in frustration and following after them.

* * *

"Wait up!" Rey shouted as she caught up with Han, Chewbacca and Poe. "You say you knew my parents, where are they then? Why did they leave me behind? What happened to them?"

"Keep your voice down girlie," Han growled, towering over Rey but Rey didn't blink. "Fine, come with me."

Rey nodded causing Chewbacca to chuckle behind the pair.

"In here," Han said, opening the door to a small set of quarters. Rey entered with Han and Chewie following. "Sit down."

Rey sat on the bed while Han grabbed the desk chair and sat down, his arms leaning on the backrest. Chewbacca took up a position beside the door with his arms crossed.

"You say your parents were the ones who showed you the hanger where that ship was, right?" Han asked. "Where exactly was this hanger on Jakku?"

"About 20 klicks southwest of Niima Outpost."

"I see," Han said, glancing over Rey's shoulder at Chewbacca. "And what was the code that got you into the hanger?"

"How did you know I would have needed a code?"

"Because I know that hanger," Han said. "Now what was the code?"

"THX-1138," Rey said. Han nodded. "Now that I've proven my credentials, can you tell me how you know my parents?"

"Right," Han said. "I can't be 100% sure of course but I believe you are the daughter of two friends of mine, Dash and Wynssa Solterren. They were Intelligence agents in the Rebellion."

"Were?" Rey asked.

"Yes, were," Han sighed. "I am sorry to say Rey, but we received word that your parents vanished about five years ago. They sent a message that they were going on a routine scouting mission, but they never sent a follow-up message. We sent out feelers to track them down but couldn't find them."

"So you don't know if they are dead?" Rey asked.

"I can't be sure, we never received confirmation of their deaths but it has been over five years," Han said. "I am sorry kid but it is more than likely that they are gone. I am sorry. Dash and Wynssa were friends, and good people."

"But you don't know for sure, I might not be these Solterren's daughter," Rey argued.

"Kid, you are the spitting image of your mother just with your father's eyes," Han said. "Now sure, there might be a chance that Dash and Wynssa could be still alive but I don't believe that they would be kept from returning to their child at any cost."

"I know they are still alive, and I am going to find them!"

"I hope you do kid, I really do," Han said. Chewbacca grunted behind Rey in agreement.

"So I can leave then?"

"Not just yet," Han said. "At least we can't let you take the ship…"

"Why not? It is mine!"

"Because the First Order knows that the Resistance helped you escape and have probably sent out messages to their forces to capture the ship if they come across it," Han pointed out.

"So I am stuck here, as your prisoner instead of the First Order's?" Rey shouted.

"No, of course not."

"Then why won't you let me leave?"

"You can leave once Chewie and I change the transponder data on your ship," Han said.

"What?"

"That way the First Order won't know it is the same ship," Han said. "Relax, once we are done, you'll be on your way. Though I hope you would stay on, the Resistance can help you find your parents, if they are still alive."

"Oh," Rey said. "Well, what are you waiting for then? Let's go!"

"Chewie will go with you to get started, I need to speak with the third member of your crew," Han said. Chewie grunted and opened the door.

"What's going to happen to Finn?" Rey asked.

"That is up to him Rey," Han said as the trio left the quarters. "He has plenty of information that the Resistance needs, and if he provides that to us, he'll be fine."

Rey nodded.

* * *

"So you are a stormtrooper?" a man wearing a lieutenant's uniform asked.

"I was a stormtrooper, yes," Finn answered. "But I have left the First Order."

"Why?"

"The First Order turned out to not be what I was led to believe it was."

"What do you mean?"

"I was taken by the First Order at a very young age and conscripted into their ranks," Finn said. "And I was led to believe that the First Order was just a very large private military contractor company that was looking to restore order and safety to the areas of the galaxy that the Republic has ignored."

"You believed that?"

"I did," Finn said. "We were tasked with patrolling the Outer Rim and Unknown Regions, taking down pirate gangs and smuggling rings, protecting the planets in the Outer Rim that the Republic and Core either forgot about or just ignore. The First Order leadership is smarter than you think, they are strong where the Republic is weak. A lot of the Outer Rim feels that only the First Order cares about them, not the Republic."

The lieutenant glanced up at the other man in the interrogation room who was behind Finn.

"What can you tell us about the training you received?"

"I would guess my training was just like a regular stormtrooper's training from the Empire," Finn said. "I don't have a frame of reference between the two. I just know they wanted to fix the issues the Empire faced with their stormtroopers."

"And how were they planning on doing that?"

"They conscripted us from a young age and brought us up to be loyal, they gave us a home, a family in some cases," Finn said. "They didn't want to deal with clones, and regular of-age conscription was out because by then the recruits could have their own feelings and loyalty that was not to the First Order. They wanted their troops to be dedicated solely to them."

"So they essentially kidnapped and brainwashed you into serving them?" the lieutenant asked.

Finn shook his head. "The First Order is smarter than that," he said. "Most of my…former comrades were orphans, or given over to the First Order by their parents in hopes of finding them a better life."

"And what were you?"

"A war orphan."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Thank you sir."

"What else can you tell me about the First Order?" the lieutenant asked.

"The First Order is a lot bigger than anyone thinks," Finn said. "I don't know the exact numbers but I know its fleet is modeled after the Empire's strategy. Our.."

"Our?"

"Sorry, I meant the First Order's TIE fighters are much deadlier than the Empire's. It has shields, a hyperdrive and missile capabilities. I don't know their exact specifications though; Poe would know better than me."

"Yes, Commander Dameron did mention that the fighter you escaped in was unlike anything he had ever flown," the other man said. He had been standing in the shadows of the room so Finn couldn't see his face or uniform. "What about the Star Destroyer?"

"_Resurgent-class_," Finn said. "It is the backbone of the First Order fleet, made to replace the _Imperial-II_ that was the backbone of the Empire's fleet. They are bigger than the _Imp-II_, has better weapons and shields, and is equipped with a single gravity well generator."

"A grav well generator?" the lieutenant asked.

"The Unknown Regions are very treacherous, and the hyperspace lanes are constantly changing," Finn said. "So the First Order decided to equip their ships with gravity well technology to make it harder for their targets to escape."

"Smart," the other man said. He leaned forward, appearing out of the shadows. And Finn instantly straightened. The man was wearing a captain's rank, and his steely blue eyes seemed to pierced Finn right to his core. Finn could tell that this man was a warrior, not someone to fool around with.

* * *

Rey took a deep breath of fresh air as she stepped out of the castle and stared out over the large lake that neighbored the base. The air on Takodana was vastly different from Jakku, it was rich and clean while the air on Jakku was dry and harsh. The air made Rey feel invigorated, alive, she had never felt like this on Jakku.

"Hello there young one."

Rey spun around to see a short alien looking down at her from the top of the stairs. The alien was one that Rey had never seen before, it had dark orange skin with small brown eyes that were hidden behind goggles that looked much like a pair of mechanic's goggles. The alien wore a green long sleeve shirt with a brown vest over it, and dark red pants.

"Hello?" Rey asked.

"Enjoying the scenery?" the alien asked.

"Yes, I have never seen such an amount of water," Rey said. "I didn't know there were places like this anywhere in the galaxy."

The alien laughed. "You have not seen many worlds then have you?" she asked.

"This is just the second planet I have ever been on," Rey said. "And this place is nothing like Jakku."

"Jakku, you say," the alien said. "Yes, there is quite a difference between here and that dust ball. What were you doing there?"

"I have lived there my entire life but I never knew why until recently."

"Knowledge does come in the most peculiar of places and times, I have learned."

"Who are you?" Rey asked.

"I am Maz Kanata, the owner of this establishment," the alien said.

"You are with the Resistance?"

"No, no," Maz said. "I don't get involved with politics."

"But the Resistance has so many ships here?"

"Yes but they will be leaving soon I expect," Max said. "Solo knows that he is stretching his welcome here, and I assume the First Order will arrive soon enough."

"The First Order is coming!" Rey cried. "Have you told the others? How could the First Order know?"

"Oh, I am sure the First Order has their own informants scattered around my cliental just like the Resistance does," Maz said. "I have run this watering hole for hundreds of years and have seen republics and empires rise and fall, and yet I am still here."

"Hundreds of years?" Rey asked.

"Aged gracefully, haven't I?" Maz laughed causing Rey to blush. "Oh don't worry child, I take no offense. But I must ask, why are you here? I can sense that you are wanting to be free of here and searching for something or someone."

"My parents," Rey said. "They left me behind on Jakku and then vanished. Everyone has told me that they are dead but I don't believe that. They are out there somewhere, and I will find them."

"Your path will be a winding one young Rey," Maz said. "You will not find the answers you seek by constantly looking to the past. Trust in the Force, it will lead you to the answers you seek."

"The Force? Why would I care about the Force, I am not a Jedi?" Rey asked.

"Neither am I," Maz said. "But that doesn't mean the Force doesn't play a part in my life. The Force is something that cannot truly be understood, it works in mysterious ways. It surrounds us, penetrates us and binds the galaxy together."

"That is all very confusing, and it means nothing to me," Rey said. "I just want to find my parents and find a place far away from this war. I have no part in it."

"You might believe that young one but the future is always in motion," Maz said. "I do wish you good fortune in your search for answers, and may the Force be with you."

"Thank you, I think," Rey said as Maz gave her a kind smile and turned back to go inside the castle.

* * *

"So how did your conversation with the stormtrooper go Jethro?" Han asked as a man with silvery gray hair and steely blue eyes entered the room.

"If his intel is correct, we are going to have an issue when the First Order makes their move," Jethro said, setting a datapad down on the table. "He doesn't know everything I'd like to know but what he does know is enough to tell me that we are in for a tough fight."

"Is he trustworthy?" Han asked.

"I can't be 100% certain General."

"What does your gut say then?"

"The kid is sincere in his desire to get away from the First Order," Jethro said. "Other than that General, I can't say for certain."

"Well your gut hasn't let us down yet," Han said. "Get the men ready for departure, the First Order won't be very far behind us."

"Understood General, we will be ready to depart within the hour."

Han waited until Jethro had left the room before accessing the communications console in front of him. He plugged in a datachip, the console beeped and then the pad glowed blue as the transmission connected with the other end.

"You are late Han," a stern, yet faintly amused female voice said.

"I know Leia," Han said.

"So you found Poe?" Leia asked.

"I did, though he wasn't alone."

"What do you mean?" Leia asked. Han could tell that Leia was on the other end of the transmission with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

"He picked up a pair of hitch hikers," Han said. "A defecting stormtrooper and Dash and Wynssa's daughter."

"A defecting First Order stormtrooper and the Solterren's daughter?" Leia asked. Han smiled hearing Leia's huff. "Poe never does anything by the book. What have you done with the stormtrooper?"

"I let Jethro have a go at him."

"And what was the verdict?"

"He says that Finn, the trooper's name, is sincere about wanting to get away from the First Order," Han said. "And he did provide some disconcerting intel as well."

"What do you mean?"

"I think it better if we talked about this face to face," Han said.

"Very well. How long until you leave?"

"Less than an hour."

"Good, the faster you get here, the faster we can find Luke and get some answers," Leia said.

"Yeah, answers," Han nodded. "I'll contact you again once we leave Takodana."

"You better…" Leia's voice suddenly cut out as the console beeped then went dark.

"Leia?" Han asked to the dark console. "Kriff!" He leapt to his feet and threw open the door. "We need to get moving!" Han shouted.

* * *

"We have learned that the Resistance group that escaped Jakku have fled to the Takodana system Supreme Leader," Kylo Ren said as he knelt before the large hologram of the Supreme Leader of the First Order, Snoke.

"Good, good," Snoke murmured as he leaned back on his throne. "Perhaps now you can atone for your failure in allowing the pilot to escape with the map to Skywalker."

The deep and rumbling tone sent shivers up and down Kylo's spine but he kept his gaze on the floor.

"I am sorry Supreme Leader," Kylo said. "I will not fail you again."

"See that you don't my young apprentice," Snoke said. "That map is the key to our ultimate victory, and you fulfilling your destiny. We must find Skywalker before it is too late. There has been an awakening in the Force, my powers are returning and that only means his are as well. Skywalker must not be allowed to return to the galaxy!"

"He will not, nor will the Jedi," Kylo vowed. "Their light has gone out in the galaxy and will not return."

"See that they don't Kylo Ren," Snoke said. "The Republic is poised to fall at our feet, and nothing will stop us. Order shall be returned to the galaxy, and the First Order shall reign over the galaxy with you at its head my young friend."

Behind a kneeling Kylo, a door hissed causing Snoke to look up.

"General Hux, what is it?" Snoke asked as General Armitage Hux entered. The General was a tall human male with slicked back red hair and a seemingly permanent sneer on his thin face. Hux had been put in charge of the First Order's stormtrooper core, and had taken the defection of FN-2187 nearly as personal as Captain Phasma. He vowed to personally see to the traitor's execution.

"Supreme Leader, we are approaching Takodana," Hux announced staring up at Snoke with gleaming eyes, ignoring Kylo. "Our spies on the planet inform us that the Resistance is preparing to leave the system but we shall arrive before they can flee."

"Excellent, you have done well in cultivating this network of informants," Snoke praised, causing Hux to stand up straighter and his lips twitch in a cold smile.

"Thank you Supreme Leader," Hux said with a bow. He glanced down at the kneeling Kylo, and his smile grew a bit more.

"Go and see to our forces General," Snoke said.

"Yes Supreme Leader." Hux bowed again before leaving.

"I sense that you are having mixed feelings about this mission Kylo," Snoke said.

"No, of course not Supreme Leader," Kylo said, looking up. "I am ready to bring these traitors and dissidents to justice!"

"We shall see my young friend," Snoke said. "You might be facing those who you knew in your previous life, are you ready to do what is necessary to bring peace and order to the galaxy?"

"Of course Supreme Leader, I am ready!"

"Very well. Then go and do what must be done Kylo Ren."

**A/N: There we go, chapter 4 of my rewrite for _The Force Awakens_. A bit of a filler/exposition chapter but I think it was something that was missing in the film version in which we as viewers are just expected to take all these changes to the galaxy without any real explanation. What the OT did so well was sprinkle in little lines of dialogue that gave us background information about the galaxy (the Council of Moffs scene in _A New Hope_ is a perfect example) and that sort of thing was lacking in all of the Disney sequel films. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter,**

**MTFBWY**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any meaningful part of the _Star Wars_ universe read here, I am just having some fun in George Lucas' former sandbox, and trying to refix what I thought was wrong with Disney's sequel trilogy. There will be elements from both Disney's canon as well as the old Expanded Universe, or what is now called Legends (which is what I grew up with and prefer for the most part). Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

**Takodana**

**Takodana-System**

**Tashtor Sector**

**Western Reaches**

"Grab only what you can carry and get to your ships!" Han shouted as he ran out onto the landing platform.

"What's going on?" Poe asked.

"The First Order is on their way," Han said. "The comms have just been jammed."

Immediately the landing platforms were filled with activity as Resistance personnel began racing toward the shuttles.

"What about Finn? What about me?" Rey asked.

"You both will be coming with us," Han said. "Commander Dameron will be going with you Rey so he can lead you to our base."

"But I need to find my parents!" Rey shouted. "You said I could leave."

"And you can, once we are safely away from here," Han said. "Look Rey, I am sorry but plans change at the worst possible times. Now, no more arguments, we need to leave, now!"

"Come on Rey," Poe said, putting a hand on Rey's shoulder.

"Fine," she spat, stalking off toward the _Silver Explorer_.

"Get her to base Commander," Han said.

"I will General," Poe said with a loose salute before following after Rey.

"And what about our defector?" Jethro asked.

"Put him on the _Falcon_," Han said.

"With you sir, why?"

"Easier to keep an eye on him."

"But sir…"

"You have your orders Jethro."

"Aye General." The gray-haired man nodded and headed back toward the castle, two troopers following him.

Chewie grumbled as he approached Han.

"I know Chewie, I know," Han said. "It is a risk but one we have to take. Is the _Falcon_ ready?"

Chewie grunted.

"Good, get her fired up," Han said. "We need to get into orbit before the First Order shows up, or we are all dead." Chewie growled in agreement and made his way toward the _Falcon_.

* * *

"I can't believe this," Rey shouted as she stormed into the cockpit of the _Silver Explorer_. "You said that I would be able to leave once I brought you here."

"I know Rey but things change," Poe said from the pilot's chair. "We need to get clear of the planet before the First Order arrives so strap in. They won't listen to reason Rey; they will capture then torture you for any bit of information they can wring out of you."

"So what then, I have to join up with the Resistance and fight a war that I didn't sign up for just in order to live my life?" Rey snarled.

"I didn't sign up for a war either Rey," Poe snapped, spinning around. "I joined the New Republic to protect and see the galaxy. The First Order and their allies are the ones who want a war Rey, they want to rule the galaxy, and won't let anything stand in their way."

"But that doesn't mean I have to fight," Rey said. "I can just leave. They don't know me, don't know my ship, so why can't you just let me go?"

"Once it is safe Rey," Poe said, turning back to the control console.

"That is what you said when we got here in the first place," Rey said. "Then Han Solo…"

"General Solo," Poe corrected.

"I am not part of the Resistance," Rey fired back. "Solo said I could leave when Chewbacca finished changing the transponder data on the _Explorer_ and I wouldn't be found."

"That was before we knew that the First Order was on its way," Poe said. The _Silver Explorer_ shuddered as Poe retracted the landing struts, kicking in the repulsorlifts at the same time. The ship slowly lifted off the ground and headed toward space, as all around them the other ships of the Resistance rose alongside them including the legendary _Millennium Falcon_.

"How much longer until we can make the jump buddy?" Poe asked as the _Silver Explorer_ reached space.

BB-8 beeped and a timer appeared on the display in front of Poe and Rey, and began counting down from one minute.

"All ships, jump as soon as you are clear of the planet," Han's voice crackled over the comms. "Don't wait for orders."

Rey watched as the timer clicked down toward zero, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling welling up in her stomach.

"Something is wrong," Rey said, her eyes looking back and forth across the black canvas of open space in front of them.

"What do you mean?" Poe asked, his hand on the hyperspace lever, and an eye on the timer.

"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling about this," Rey said. "How much longer until we can jump?"

"Twenty seconds."

"That's too much," Rey shouted, just as BB-8 whistled loudly and the sensor board erupted.

A massive dagger-like shape suddenly appeared above them.

"Sithspit!" Poe cursed as he sent the _Silver Explorer_ into a sharp dive to avoid a barrage of turbolaser fire that would have either destroyed or disabled the ship. "Where the hell did they come from?"

"I don't know!" Rey shouted as her fingers danced across her console, raising the ship's shields and readying the weapon's systems. "Can we jump yet?"

"No, that Destroyer has a gravity well generator and has got its cone aimed in our vector," Poe said as he dodged another barrage of emerald fire from the Star Destroyer.

"So what do we do then?"

"Fight our way free," Poe said. "The _Pride of Yavin IV_ will cover our escape."

Rey saw the _**Venator-class Star Destroyer**_ begin to roll and show its belly to the First Order Star Destroyer. "What are they doing?" Rey asked.

"You'll see," Poe said as he wove the _Silver Explorer_ through another curtain of laser fire. "How are our shields?"

"85%."

"Good, go and get ready on the guns," Poe said. "Those TIE fighters are getting close."

"On it."

* * *

"Sir, our sensors show that the enemy has only one capital ship, the rest are freighters or snubfighters," the captain of the _Finalizer_ reported.

"Good," General Hux said, watching the Resistance ships scatter at the appearance of the First Order. A cold sneer grew on Hux's thin face as a squadron of TIE fighters streaked past the bridge.

"Concentrate our fire on that outdated wreck," Hux ordered, pointing at the _**Venator-class Star Destroyer**_ that was the only other capital ship. "Let our fighters corral their smaller ships. Have we identified the Resistance vessels?"

"Yes General," another bridge officer said. "The _**Venator**_ is the _Pride of Yavin IV_, we have also identified two of the smaller ships. One is called the _Silver Explorer_; it is the ship that blasted off of Jakku."

"And the other?"

"The…the _Millennium Falcon_."

Hux froze as the bridge seemed to go silent around him. "Well isn't that interesting," Hux said. "Make sure to inform Commander Ren, he does have a specific relationship with that ship and its crew."

"Yes sir."

* * *

"Rey, I need you on the guns," Poe said. "BB-8 can handle the navicomputer but those TIE fighters are going to reach us before we are clear of the gravity well."

"On it," Rey said, transferring the controls over to weapons.

"Rey, why aren't you firing off any missiles or torpedoes?" Poe asked as laser cannon fire lashed out into the void.

"There aren't any," Rey said. "Did you really think that I'd be able to scavenge or recover any missiles or torpedoes?"

"Guess we do this the hard way," Poe grumbled as he wove the ship through a curtain of laser fire coming from a squad of TIE fighters rapidly approaching.

"Got one!" Poe heard Rey shout behind him, and he noticed their pursuers lessen by one on the sensor board.

"How much longer until we are clear to make the jump BB-8?" Poe asked as he fed more power into the engines in hopes of outrunning the TIE fighters. The droid beeped and a message scrolled across the bottom of the display board.

"What did BB-8 say?" Rey asked.

"Another minute or so but those TIEs will be on us before that at this rate," Poe said. "I can shorten that time by feeding more power to the engines but that weaken our shields and weapons."

"Do it!" Rey said. The faster we get clear, the faster I can leave this all behind."

"Hold on then," Poe said as he fed as much energy as he could from the weapons into the engines. The _Silver Explorer_'s engines thrummed deeply as the extra power boosted them well past the manufacture's safety protocols.

"Come on, come on," Poe muttered as he kept an eye on the sensor board.

Suddenly a bright explosion caused Poe to shield his eyes even though the viewport darkened automatically.

"What just happened?" Rey called out.

Poe frantically scanned the space around them and realized that something was missing. "The _Pride_!"

"What?"

"_The Pride of Yavin IV_ is gone!"

"What did you say?"

"That First Order **Destroyer** destroyed _The Pride of Yavin IV_," Poe explained. "It went through _The Pride_ like it was nothing."

"Poe, now is not the time to space out," Rey said. "We need to get out of here. That **Destroyer** is going to focus on us now!"

"Karabast!" Poe cursed as he punched the throttle. BB-8 whistled as they cleared the gravity well and the stars turned into starlines.

* * *

"They made it," Finn said, noticing that _The Silver Explorer_ had vanished from sight.

"Good for them," Han grunted as the _Falcon_ shuddered from another laser blast against its shields. "Now we have to get clear ourselves."

"How much longer?" Finn asked.

"Shorter if you stop distracting me," Han snapped as a pair of TIEs streaked past with two X-Wings following, their lasers spitting.

"Sorry," Finn said, sitting down in one of the seats.

Chewbacca growled from the co-pilot's seat as his hands danced across the console, angling the shields.

"Oh Sithspit, that **Destroyer** is the _Finalizer_," Finn gasped as he recognized the First Order Star Destroyer. "That's Lord Kylo Ren's flagship!"

"Kylo Ren," Han said. Finn noticed the older man glance at his co-pilot and could tell that there was something more to Solo just saying the name.

The _Falcon_ rocked as something hit the shields, causing an alarm to start screaming in Finn's ear.

"What's that?" Finn asked.

"Our rear shields just dropped below 25%," Han said. "Whoever is leading this squadron is good, he's staying out of range of the cannons and moving around enough for the computer to be unable to get a lock for the missiles."

Chewie growled as the ship rocked again from laser impacts.

"I know Chewie, this guy is pretty good," Han said as he wove the _Flacon_ through another sheet of laser fire. "He's trying to herd us."

"Herd us?" Finn asked.

"Force us into range of that **Destroyer**'s tractor beams," Han explained. "Chewie, get ready to make the jump, we are almost clear of that ship's gravity well."

Finns eyes were glued on the sensor board in front of him, watching as the _Falcon_ grew closer to the edge of the gravity well. He could also see several dots on the sensor board disappear, these were blue dots, signaling that they were part of the Resistance. Finn felt something cold grip his chest as his eyes caught a single red blip trailing after the _Falcon_.

"Hurry, hurry," Finn whispered as the red blip grew closer and closer to the _Falcon_. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

"Watch how you talk about my ship," Han growled. "What's with you Finn?"

"That ship chasing us, I have this feeling about it," Finn said. "It's cold, like a block of ice slowly gripping my heart."

"Well, it is too late now," Han said. "Hit it Chewie!"

Chewie growled as he pushed down the hyperspace lever and the stars turned into starlines, and the _Falcon_ leapt away from Takodana.

* * *

"Sir, the Resistance forces have either fled or been destroyed," a bridge officer said, approaching General Hux who was staring out the bridge viewport. "We were able to get some trajectories on the surviving vessels but they all took different paths."

"Very well," Hux said. "What about the _Millennium Falcon_?"

"That was one of the ships we did get a bearing on," the officer said. "Its course projects Coreward, should I contact our other forces to be on alert?"

"No, not yet," Hux said. "We must not alert the Republic to our presence just yet."

"Yes General," the officer said before spinning around and walking away.

"General, we are picking up distress signals from escape pods that were launched from that Resistance destroyer," a voice called up from the sensor pit. A cruel smile twisted Hux's thin lips.

"Destroy them," Hux said. "Neither traitors or dissidents deserve mercy."

"Aye sir."

Hux's smile grew wider as turbolaser fire lashed out into the void and the helpless pods burst like star bursts and vanished just as quickly.

"General, did we get a telemetry on the _Falcon_?" the deep and mechanical voice of Kylo Ren asked as the masked man approached Hux.

"We did indeed Commander Ren," Hux said. "It seems you were unsuccessful in capturing or destroying that ship and its crew, how disappointing."

The masked Ren did not answer, he only kept his gaze out on the planet below.

"What are you planning to do to Takodana?" Ren asked.

"They are guilty of harboring Resistance terrorists, and they shall pay the price," Hux said.

"You know whose place that is?" Ren asked. "Kanada has contacts all over the underworld, if we destroy her then we lose access to that network, that is why we haven't eliminated her already."

Hux stiffened at the rebuke but nodded. "You are right Commander," he said. "Captain, recall our fighters and then set your course for our rendezvous point."

"General, Commander, we are receiving a comm signal from Bastion," an officer said, appearing behind the two leaders. "It comes with the highest level of encryption."

"Thank you lieutenant," Hux said. "We shall take it in my state room."

"Yes sir."

"Shall we?" Hux asked. Ren nodded and the pair walked off the bridge, the doors hissing closed just as the _Finalizer_ leapt into hyperspace leaving behind a cluster of debris circling a lush green planet.

* * *

**Aboard the _Silver Explorer _somewhere in Hyperspace**

**Tashtor Sector**

**Western Reaches**

"How did you know that the First Order was about to arrive?" Poe asked, swiveling around in the pilot's chair to face Rey.

"I don't know," Rey said. "It was a feeling, just a feeling."

"A feeling?"

"Yes, a feeling Poe," Rey said. "I am not lying," she added, seeing Poe's skeptical look. "I just can't explain it, I would just get these feelings sometimes, feelings that would warn me of something bad was about to happen. Or feelings that would leave me to better parts that I could scavenge and such. My parents always told me to trust my feelings, and so far they haven't led me astray."

"You've had these feelings before?" Poe asked, his face no longer suspicious but curious.

"For as long as I can remember," Rey said. "Why do you ask? Do you know something?"

"Nothing for certain," Poe said after a moment. "But I have heard stories that one way that the old Jedi Order found prospective Jedi was to find beings who had feelings like yours, or were extremely lucky or had amazing reflexes. What you are saying sounds a lot like that. I wonder Rey, you might be Force-sensitive."

"Come on Poe, you can't be serious," Rey said. "I can't be Jedi."

"Why not?" Poe asked.

"I just can't be Poe," Rey argued. "I can't make things move with my mind, or the other stuff that Jedi are supposed to do. I just get lucky sometimes."

"Ok Rey, I know what I've heard but I suppose we will find out," Poe said.

"What do you mean?" Rey asked. "You don't have the Force, do you Poe?"

"No, but I know someone who does."

"Who?"

"The Princess," Poe answered with a fond smile.

* * *

**Aboard the _Millennium Falcon _somewhere in Hyperspace**

**Tashtor Sector**

**Western Reaches**

"Where are we going?" Finn asked.

"Somewhere safe," Han said. "Now sit down."

Finn noticed that several of the Resistance soldiers that had evacuated on the _Falcon_ had appeared behind him. Finn nodded slowly and sat down.

"What's going on?" Finn asked, noticing that he was the only one sitting and the others all had a hand on their holsters.

"We want to know how the First Order found us," Han said.

"I don't know sir," Finn said. "You made sure I couldn't send any messages, so it wasn't me. The First Order has agents all across the galaxy, they might have had agents on Takodana."

Han glanced at Chewie who shrugged. "You might be right about that, Maz has always said she doesn't get involved," he said. "But we need to make sure that the First Order can't track you, you don't have a tracking chip in you, do you?"

"I don't think so," Finn said. "If I did, they wouldn't have needed Rey's friend on Jakku to sell us out there. And besides, the First Order putting a tracking chip in me is the least of my worries, they probably would've just put an explosive in all of us in case we did try and defect."

"You make a good point," Han admitted, rubbing his chin. "But you know we can't just take your word for it."

"Of course I know that," Finn said. "I want to get away from the First Order, I am not trying to lead you all into a trap."

Han glanced behind Finn. "What do you think Jethro?" he asked.

"We don't have the right equipment to scan him properly," Jethro said. "So we just have to take the chance."

The other members of the Resistance on board nodded their agreement when asked by Han, who then turned his attention back to Finn. "Ok then Finn, looks like you've earned a reprieve until we reach the base."

"Thank you General," Finn said. "I am not trying to trick any of you. I want to leave the First Order. But I also want to show my former comrades that there is another way, that they don't have to serve the First Order anymore."

Han whistled. "That's quite a goal," he said. "Do you really think that the First Order would let that happen?"

"Probably not," Finn admitted. "But they are brainwashing children and using them as essentially slave soldiers, a lot like the clones of the Grand Army of the Republic from the Old Republic. That needs to stop and I am going to try. I don't want anymore children taken from or given away by their parents and then have their minds twisted by the First Order into unfeeling, mindless soldiers."

Han raised an eyebrow before looking up at Chewbacca and then Jethro. "I wish you luck kid," he said. "Too bad Rex is no longer with us; he would be the perfect person for you to talk with."

"Rex?" Finn asked.

"Captain Rex," Jethro said. "He was a clone captain in the GAR who joined the Rebellion early on. He fought all the way through the war before retiring after the Edict was put into place. Rex was one of the first casualties of this conflict when a First Order terrorist attack hit the Temple nearly two decades ago."

"You are talking about Captain Rex, the clone captain for the 501st during the Clone Wars, right?" Finn asked, awe evident in his voice.

"Yes," Han said. "Rex was a good soldier, a good man and a better friend."

"I would have been honored to meet Captain Rex," Finn said. "Even in the First Order he was highly regarded though that might change if they found out he had joined the Rebellion. He was thought to have been killed during the Purge."

"He survived," Jethro said. "Perhaps you and I can continue our conversation from earlier."

Finn agreed, knowing it was more of an order than a request or an invitation to exchange war stories. He rose from his seat and followed the older soldier down the corridor toward the crew's quarters.

"Come on Chewie," Han said, gesturing to the cockpit. Chewbacca growled softly and followed Han back to the cockpit.

Han closed the door once he and Chewbacca had sat down. "So what now?" he asked.

Chewie grunted.

"I suppose so," Han said. "There is something about this kid though Chewie. I can tell he is earnest about leaving the First Order and wants to help stop them from doing what they did to him."

Chewie growled lowly.

"I know Chewie," Han said, "I know. Kid has got a dream, and if he were to pull it off, it would hurt the First Order for sure."

Chewbacca grunted in agreement.

"Leia will be able to help him more than either of us can," Han said. "She's the one who would know how to handle and use this information to hurt the First Order the most. We just have to get him to Leia, and hope that Poe and Rey can get BB-8 there as well. Go and make sure that Jethro hasn't torn down that kid. We will be coming out of hyperspace in about fifteen minutes."

Chewie growled softly and rose from his chair, leaving the cockpit after patting Han on the shoulder.

**A/N: Well there you have it, the newest chapter of my _TFA _rewrite. I know it has been a while since I posted but real life has been crazy (as if you didn't already know). I hope to get back to a more consistent posting schedule in the coming weeks but who knows. Please let me know what you all think of the chapter, and let me know if you have any characters or ideas you'd like to see in the story. I can't promise that you'd see it but I will try if it fits into what I have already planned.**

**Thanks, hope everyone is doing well around the world, and always remember May the Force with you**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:I do NOT own any part of the _Star Wars_ universe, created by George Lucas and now owned by Disney, aside from copies of the films, books and video games. I am just having some fun in the sandbox and trying to make sense of what Disney gave us for Episodes VII-IX (which I did not enjoy). There will be elements from both Legends (old EU) and Disney's canon. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Orbit above Takodana**

**Tashtor System**

**Western Reaches**

"Report."

"Yes Supreme Leader," Hux said, his head bowed in deference to the absolute ruler of the First Order, and soon to be ruler of the entire galaxy. "We tracked the Resistance ships that fled Jakku to Takodana, a popular port for smugglers and other vermin. We surprised the Resistance scum as they were getting ready to flee once more and easily overcame their paltry forces."

"Did you secure the data?" the deep booming voice of Supreme Leader Snoke demanded. "That is all that matters General Hux."

"The data managed to escape Hux's blockade of the system, along with most of their fighters and two freighters," Kylo Ren said before Hux could speak up.

"And one of the freighters that escaped was the _Millennium Falcon_ Supreme Leader," Hux cut in. "And Commander Ren was the one leading our fighters during the engagement."

"Enough squabbling," Snoke bellowed, causing the pair to fall silent. "I do not care how the data is located and acquired, only that it is in our possession. Is that understood?"

"Yes Supreme Leader."

"Yes Master."

"Good," Snoke said, his hologram leaning back on his throne. "Now General, the Resistance ships that escaped, were you able to track them?"

"We managed to get relative trajectories on several of their ships, and have plotted them."

"And?"

"They are heading Coreward it seems," Hux said. "I was waiting on your permission to contact our forces hidden closer to the Core in hopes of intercepting them. Shall I give them the order?"

"Not yet," Snoke said after a moment's pause. "We do not want to show our hand too early, we are nearly ready to reveal our true strength to the galaxy, and with the Republic so kindly ignoring our presence, let us not correct their mistake."

"What is your command Supreme Leader?" Hux asked.

"We shall attempt to locate the Resistance through other methods," Snoke said. "Lord Ren, I shall be sending you the Knights. You will use them to hunt down the map to Skywalker."

"Of course Master," Kylo said, bowing his head. "And what shall I do with those who have the date when I find them?"

"Eliminate them," Snoke said. "We cannot let that data fall into the hands of the Resistance or the Republic."

"And my orders Supreme Leader?" Hux asked.

"Once Lord Ren and my Knights have departed, you and the _Finalizer_ will return to the Unknown Regions, to Point Alpha. Our presence has most likely already been noticed."

"Yes Supreme Leader."

"I know you are disappointed General," Snoke said, "but it is not yet time for us to reveal ourselves to the galaxy. Our forces are nearly ready to strike but not yet. You shall take command when you reach Point Alpha General."

"Yes Supreme Leader," Hux said with a bloodthirsty grin. "It will be done."

"Good, now leave us General," Snoke said. "I wish to have words with my apprentice."

"Supreme Leader," Hux bowed, recognizing the dismissal. The pale man shot Kylo a look as he turned and left for the bridge.

"Something has happened my young apprentice," Snoke said once the doors hissed close. "The Light Side of the Force has suddenly brightened, have you felt it?"

"I have Master," Kylo said. "What has caused this shift?"

"I am unaware of the cause," Snoke admitted. "I have been searching for a cause but have been unable to determine it."

"Master, while in pursuit of the data, I felt something over Jakku, and then once more during the battle here over Takodana."

"Felt something?"

"Yes Master, it was a presence but it was muted somehow," Kylo said, frowning behind his mask.

"Muted?"

"I don't know how else to explain it," Kylo said. "I could just tell that the presence should have been stronger than it was."

"Interesting," Snoke said. "There are techniques that allow those skilled in the Force to conceal their presence, Darth Sidious for example, but this was a disturbance from the Light. The techniques that Sidious used were from the Dark Side, not the Light."

"I don't think this was a Force user consciously using such a technique," Kylo said. "Or this being wasn't well trained in the technique, otherwise I would not have been able to sense them."

"Indeed," Snoke said. "I shall contemplate on this my young apprentice. You must focus on tracking down the data chip, that is the key."

"Yes Master, I will not fail you."

"I know you won't," Snoke said. The hologram suddenly cut out, leaving the stateroom with very little light.

Kylo rose from a knee and swept from the room, back out onto the bridge just as the _Finalizer_ entered hyperspace.

* * *

The doors to General Hux's quarters hissed shut as Hux pulled a bottle off a shelf and poured a healthy measure of the amber liquid into a glass. Taking a sip, Hux savored the burning heat that slid down his throat.

'_Soon,_' he thought as he sat down on the couch, looking out the viewport into the swirling mass that was hyperspace. '_Soon, order will be restored to the galaxy, and the chaos will be stamped out. And when that time comes, the rightful rulers of this galaxy will take their place. No more of this mystical Force, that to will be stamped out._'

The liquid in Hux's glass trembled as Hux steadied his grip. The rigid structure of the Empire and the First Order was all Hux knew, he had been born on Arkanis on the same day the Death Star had been destroyed over Yavin, and his father had never let him forget it.

Hux had been considered a bad omen, due to his birth status and birth date. And so Armitage had striven to prove everyone wrong. He pushed himself each and every day to be the best, in everything and anything. And he succeeded. Hux rapidly rose through the ranks of the First Order, surpassing his father's rank in the Empire. His tactics, strategies and loyalty were what drew the attention of the Supreme Leader, so much so that Hux was put in charge of the recruitment and training for the First Order's troops.

In addition to an immense drive to prove himself, Armitage had a thirst for history. He studied all manner of militant cultures from across the galaxy, as well as any scrap of information on their training methods. His mission was to create the most well-trained army in the galaxy's history, and he had succeeded at it.

But now, all that hard work was in danger of being wiped away by a single defective trooper. This FN-2187 decided to desert after the mission to Jakku, and had even helped the prisoner, Poe Dameron, escape the First Order's clutches twice. Captain Phasma had been raging to anyone who would listen about the trooper, and how she would make him pay for disgracing the First Order.

Hux took another sip of his drink. He would hand over the traitor to Phasma once he himself had finished with FN-2187. Traitors deserved no mercy, and the traitor would not receive a quick death for sure.

Hux's comlink beeped, interrupting his ideas on how to punish the traitor. He set down his drink and pulled the comlink from his belt.

"This is Hux."

"General, there is a message coming in for you over an encrypted channel."

Hux straightened in his chair. "Send it to my personal terminal," he ordered.

"Yes General."

Hux rose from his chair and quickly walked over to the comm console. He punched in the code, the console beeped and then glowed blue as a cloaked figure in holographic form appeared.

"What have you found out?" Hux demanded.

"The Republic is aware of your skirmish over Takodana," the figure said. The voice was modulated so it was impossible to tell if the voice was male or female.

"Are they?" Hux mused with a grin. "And what do they say?"

"The Senate is spilt," the voice said. "There are some who believe that your forces were just remnants of the Empire chasing pirates and smuggles. The fact that this happened over Takodana lends credence to this belief."

Hux grinned at the irony of the situation. "And what do the others say?"

"Organa's allies are trying to convince as many as they can that you exist and that the Republic should take action against you," the voice said. Even with the modulation, Hux could hear the amusement in the agent's voice. "They are not succeeding; in fact they are being seen as jumping at shadows or war mongers."

Hux laughed at the mindless sheep turning their backs on the Princess, being one of the heroes that led the Rebellion to defeat the Empire. But that was just another example of the masses being too stupid to govern themselves. They needed a strong hand to guide them, to lead them. And that is what the First Order would provide.

"Excellent," Hux said. "Continue your efforts, and when the First Order reigns supreme, you will be handsomely rewarded."

"Yes General, I shall contact you if I hear anything new."

Hux nodded and the comm shut off. He walked back to his chair and sat down, taking his drink with him. Hux raised the glass in a wordless salute before draining it in a single go. With a savage grin, Hux threw the glass to the deck where it shattered with Hux's laughter filling the room.

* * *

"Commander, there is an encrypted comm addressed to you coming in over channel Delta Alpha Zulu two," a comms officer called from the starboard bridge pit.

Kylo Ren turned away from the viewport. "Thank you lieutenant," he said walking toward the bridge blast doors. "I shall take it in my chambers."

"Understood sir."

Kylo quickly made his way back to his quarters, which were two decks down from the bridge, and once there, he immediately sealed his quarters from all prying eyes and ears.

"What is it?" Kylo asked as the console beeped, signaling that the line was connected.

"I have narrowed down where the Resistance has fled too to three systems," a modulated voice answered immediately.

"They are?"

"The Castilon system, the Utapau system and the Ileenium system," the voice said.

"Interesting," Kylo said. "The Castilon system and the Takodana system are both here in the Tashtor sector, so that would allow the Resistance to have a base close by. The Utapau system allows for various hiding places on the main planet while the Ileenium system offers security as there are only two known hyperspace routes out of that system, which makes it difficult to sneak up on the Resistance if they are there."

"Agreed," the voice said. "That is why I think D'Qar in the Ileenium system is the most logical place."

"Indeed. I shall certainly bring this up with the Supreme Leader but I need more hard evidence to convince him."

"Because of Hux?"

Kylo nodded. "He is growing more and more confident," Ren said. "He wants control of the First Order, that is obvious but there is something else about him that worries me. He wants the deserter even more than Phasma does, it seems."

"I am sure he does," the voice said, its tone laced with amusement. "Hux doesn't seem to be the type of person who would share power willingly."

"Power is a solitary creature's aim," Kylo said. "Is that all you have for me?"

"No," the voice said. "The Republic is going to investigate what happened over Takodana, and there is a faction of the Senate who are making waves, talking about bringing back the Jedi Order. It isn't very large but they are not part of Organa's list of allies."

"Interesting," Kylo said. "Most interesting. Keep me informed about any further developments. And the credits will be deposited the usual way."

"My thanks Commander."

The console dimmed, leaving Kylo Ren in the darkness of his quarters. His mind swirling as the Supreme Commander processed the information his agent had provided. The list of the three systems that the Resistance might have fled too was very important intel, and should be passed onto the Supreme Leader and the Intelligence Division, however it was the discovery that a new faction of the Republic that wanted to bring back the Jedi Order was something that the Supreme Leader needed to be aware of immediately. The Resistance's location could wait.

* * *

"What is it Commander, General?" Snoke asked, staring down at the two men before him. "Have you discovered where the Resistance has fled too?"

"Not yet Supreme Leader," Hux said.

"That is not entirely true Supreme Leader," Kylo said, interrupting Hux. "I have received information from agents of mine that say that the Resistance has fled to one of three systems; the Ileenium system, the Castilon system and the Utapau system."

"Then it seems you have your first three stops my friend," Snoke said. "And you General, why have you contacted me so soon?"

"I have been contacted by an agent of mine within the Republic that reports that the Senate is becoming aware of our activities, specifically our operation over Takodana," Hux said.

"Are they?" Snoke asked, leaning back so that his form was even more shrouded in shadow. "And what is the Republic saying about Takodana?"

"My agent says that the Senate is spilt," Hux reported with a grin. "Most believe us to be nothing more than a rogue Imperial, searching for sport, or a large rival smuggling syndicate looking to supplant Kanada. Organa and her allies have tried to expose us but her reputation has betrayed her, and very few are willing to listen to the daughter of Darth Vader."

Snoke's chuckle echoed around the room, joined by Hux's laughter. As the laughter died away, Snoke spoke up, "How quickly the masses forget?"

"Indeed Supreme Leader," Hux said. "Since we have narrowed down where the Resistance has fled too, shall I ready out fleet to wipe them out?"

"Yes, ready the fleets but our target shall be the heart of the Republic, not the Resistance," Snoke announced.

"The Republic Supreme Leader?" Hux asked, his shock overwhelming his belief to not question the Supreme Leader.

"Yes General," Snoke said. "With our discovery of where the Resistance and the data leading to Skywalker has fled too, we are now in a position to strike at our enemies. By attacking the Republic, we shall cut the head off the snake, and without the support of the Republic, Organa's pitiful Resistance shall wither away, as to will the Jedi."

"We will need to gather the majority of our forces Supreme Leader," Hux said. "There are many things to plan, and it will take some time. It would be much quicker to destroy the Resistance, and then focus on the Republic."

"You are correct General, that it would be quicker to focus on Organa and her rabble, however we would turn them into martyrs for the galaxy to rally behind and idolize," Snoke explained. "By destroying the Republic, we ensure that the Resistance will be alone and friendless, and we will be able to hunt them down at our leisure. You have your orders General."

"Yes Supreme Leader," Hux said. "I shall alert our forces." The redhead saluted the holographic form of Snoke before departing.

"Master, there is something else," Kylo said once the doors hissed shut. "Something that I feel you must be made aware of."

"And that is my young friend?" Snoke asked.

"Along with the possible locations for the Resistance, my agent told me of some startling news coming from the Republic," Kylo said. "My agent tells me that there is a growing faction within the Republic Senate that wishes to overturn the Edict and bring back the Jedi."

"What!" Snoke shouted.

"My agent says that the faction is very small, and is not linked to Organa's faction," Kylo said, "but it is there, and I wanted you to be aware of the situation."

"This is unacceptable!" Snoke roared, slamming a fist on the armrest of his throne. "If this were to happen, it could provide a path for the Jedi to regain power and that must not happen. Lord Ren, you are to take command of our forces and ensure that the Republic is destroyed!"

"And Hux?"

"I do not care what that sniveling weasel wants," Snoke shouted. "You will take command of our forces, lead them to victory over the Republic, and no one will ever recall the name Vader ever again!"

"Yes Supreme Leader," Kylo said, his head bowed and his mask hiding the smile that had grown across his face at the look that Hux was going to have when the General was informed of the Supreme Leader's decision. "But what of the Resistance?"

"They do not matter right now my young friend," Snoke said. "As I told General Hux, the Resistance without the Republic's support is nothing, something that we can wipe out with ease. The Republic must be destroyed before we move against the Resistance. You have your orders Lord Ren, see that my will is carried out."

"Yes Supreme Leader," Kylo said.

The hologram shut off, leaving the still kneeling Kylo Ren alone shrouded in darkness.

**Somewhere in Hyperspace**

"Where are we?"

Poe bit down on his lip to keep from snapping at Rey, who hadn't stopped demanding their destination since they had left Takodana.

"We are in hyperspace," Poe snarked, causing BB-8 to make a series of beeps that sounded suspiciously like an electronic chuckle.

"I know that Poe," Rey snapped. "Where are we going?"

"To a safe base," Poe said.

"That's what you said when we got to Takodana," Rey argued. "And we were nearly killed by the First Order, again."

"Look Rey, you are just going to have to trust me," Poe said, turning around to face Rey.

"Poe, you said I would be able to leave once we got to Takodana," Rey said. "But you lied, so how can I trust you?"

"I didn't lie Rey," Poe argued. "You are safer with the Resistance than on your own. And besides, the General says he knows who your parents are, don't you want to know?"

Rey huffed, telling Poe that she did want to know what General Solo knew. "And what if I want to leave after learning who my parents are?" she asked. "I don't want to be a part of this war; I just want to find my family and then live my life."

"I am sure you will be able to leave Rey," Poe said. When he saw Rey's skeptical look, Poe continued, "Look Rey, I know this isn't fair for you. It isn't fair to me either but life isn't fair. But I promise you, I will do all that I can to convince the Resistance to let you leave."

"I am going to hold you to that Poe," Rey said.

Just then the pilot's station console chimed, signaling that they were about to leave hyperspace. Poe spun back around and slowly pulled back on the lever as the clock reached zero. The viewport flashed brightly before clearing, leaving Poe and Rey looking down on a small blue and green planet with a ring of asteroids surrounding it.

"Where are we?" Rey asked.

"D'Qar," Poe said.

"Where?"

"The Ileenium system," Poe said. "Right on the edge of the Inner Rim, off the beaten track. The Rebellion found it during the war versus the Empire, and the Resistance has been using it as a base for some time now."

Before Rey could say anything, the comm console beeped. Poe reached over and touched the console.

"Incoming freighter, identify yourself immediately or you will be fired upon," a harsh and mechanical voice demanded.

"As long as there is light, there is hope," Poe said. "And as long as we have hope, we have a chance."

Rey frowned at Poe's response but before she could say anything the voice spoke up.

"Acknowledged. You are cleared to land on pad 18."

"Thank you control," Poe said.

A beacon appeared on the sensor board, Poe took the controls and deftly eased the _Silver Explorer_ through the asteroid ring and toward a continent on the southern half of the planet.

"What was that phrase you said earlier?" Rey asked.

"A pass phrase to deactivate the automated defenses," Poe said.

"Automated defenses? What would have happened if you didn't give the correct code?"

"We would have been blown out of the sky," Poe said, as if it was obvious. "The Resistance needs to take as many precautions as it possibly can. We are pretty sure that the First Order has spies or agents imbedded in the Republic, just as we do. All of our bases have some sort of automated defenses."

"What does this base have?"

"The basics," Poe said. "Sensors, laser cannons and missile launchers hidden inside the belt. Don't worry Rey, like I said, we have been cleared to land."

"I don't have much choice but to trust you Poe," Rey said.

"I suppose not."

The trip down to D'Qar's surface was quiet as Rey just kept her eyes glued out the viewport and Poe remained silent knowing there was nothing, he could say that would appease Rey.

"Here comes the welcoming committee," Rey broke the silence, noticing a group of beings waiting for them at the edge of the landing platform.

"Looks like you will get your answers pretty soon," Poe said. "The Princess herself is coming out to meet you."

"What?" Rey asked, craning her neck to get a better view of the platform. "Where?"

"I am not going to ruin the surprise Rey," Poe chuckled as he flipped a switch to extend the landing struts. Rey barely felt the _Silver Explorer_ touch down as she unbuckled her crash webbing and headed toward the landing ramp. Poe shook his head, "Come on buddy," he said to BB-8 and followed Rey from the cockpit.

"Eager, aren't you Rey?" Poe sniggered when he had caught up with Rey at the landing ramp.

"Oh shut up Poe," Rey said, though there was a smattering of red across her cheeks.

"You are late Commander Dameron," an amused female voice was heard as the landing ramp lowered, allowing Poe and Rey to see the gathered crowd. And at the center of the group was a short brown-haired woman with flecks of gray throughout that was pulled up in a fancy sort of bun. Even though the woman was the smallest being in the group, Rey could tell she was in command, she just had this air about her that told Rey that this woman was not someone to mess with.

"Sorry ma'am, got held up for a bit," Poe said with a sheepish grin. "But mission accomplished, come out here BB-8."

The droid rolled out into view and waved a clawed arm, much to the amusement of the gathered crowd. Both Poe and Rey could see the brown eyes of Princess Leia Organa Solo shimmer slightly before the legendary Rebellion leader composed herself.

"That is wonderful to hear Commander," Leia said. "Take BB-8 over to Intel. They are waiting for you." She then turned to the crowd that had gathered. "Move it people, don't you all have duties to attend too?"

Much of the crowd quickly dispersed, with Poe and BB-8 rushing down the ramp, leaving Rey starring down at Leia.

"So you are Rey?" Leia said, looking the young woman up and down.

"You are Princess Leia," Rey whispered.

"I am," Leia said, a rueful smile appearing. "Han has told me quite a bit about you."

"He did?"

Leia nodded. "He said that you were instrumental in helping Poe escape Jakku, so you have my thanks," she said.

"General Solo said he knew who my parents are," Rey said.

"I do."

"Who are they then? And why did they leave me on Jakku?" Rey shouted.

Leia's face softened as she took a breath. "Perhaps we can have this conversation somewhere more comfortable?"

"No!" Rey snapped, her face twisting into a scowl. "I have had enough of your, or Poe's, or Han Solo's, stalling! Tell me what you know!"

Something erupted from Rey, causing Leia to take a step back while her eyes widened.

"Very well but let's at least go into your ship," Leia said. "This conversation should be had while sitting down."

"Fine," Rey said, spinning around and walking back into the _Silver Explorer_. Leia exhaled, steeling herself while following Rey into the ship.

"Do you have anything to drink?" Leia asked meeting Rey in the small kitchen of the ship.

"You are welcome to check," Rey said, remaining at the entrance to the mess.

Leia sighed but sifted through the empty cabinets and drawers before admitting defeat and sitting down at the battered table.

"Ok Rey, take a seat and we will discuss what my husband has told you," Leia said, gesturing to the other empty seat. Rey frowned but silently took the seat. "Good, now what exactly has my husband told you?"

"Just their names and that they were spies in the Rebellion," Rey said. "And that they vanished about five years ago, but I've been on Jakku for over a decade. Why would they just leave me there?"

"Let's start from the beginning Rey," Leia said. "Your parents, Dash and Wynssa, were two of the Rebellion's best intelligence operatives, and during the war, they saved my life at least two times during the war. But the reason they, and by extension you, went to Jakku was that I asked them to go there and check on the Emperor's observatory located on the planet."

"Emperor's observatory?"

"At some point during his reign, Palpatine set up dozens of these observatories across the galaxy," Leia said. "We have no clue why he created them, or what they were far but the one on Jakku was the first to be discovered. We found that one in the aftermath of the Battle of Jakku, and allowed us to discover more. Your parents were the ones to find it all those years ago, and were the top choice to go back to Jakku when suddenly we found out that someone or something was accessing those observatories."

"Accessing them, what for?"

"We don't know," Leia admitted. "That's mainly what your parents were to find out. I don't why they brought you along, and I don't know why they left you there. Our last contact with your parents was over ten years ago, saying that the observatory was secure and that they would be leaving soon."

"So you don't know where they want?"

"I am afraid not Rey, I am truly sorry," Leia said. "If they could, I know that Dash and Wynssa would stop at nothing to get back to their daughter."

"So they are dead?"

"I don't know for sure but it is very likely," Leia said.

"You are lying!" Rey shouted, jumping to her feet, her chair crashing to the deck. Leia noticed several pieces of junk rattling or even floating off the deck as Rey stomped back and forth in front of her.

"I am not lying Rey, I really wish I wasn't telling you this but it is most likely that your parents are gone," Leia said.

A heart wrenching scream tore through the cabin, buffeting Leia and forcing her back into her seat as Rey gripped her hair, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No!" Rey shouted, slamming her fists down on the table, leaving two craters on the plasteel surface.

"Rey!" Leia said, getting to her feet and slipping around the table to embrace the distraught young woman. "It will be ok Rey, I promise it will be ok."

Slowly the screaming and shouting subsided into sobbing as Rey clung to Leia like a mynock. Leia held the young woman, gently brushing her hair and offering soothing sounds as Rey slowly calmed. Soon, Leia noticed that Rey's sobbing had subsided and her breathing had evened out but the young woman still had a tight grip on her. Leia's gaze turned to the table, and the two fist-sized craters in the plasteel material.

**A/N: Well there you have it, the newest chapter of my sequel trilogy re-write. I hope you all enjoyed it, sorry that it has taken so long to get back to this but as I'm sure everyone is aware, the real world is bonkers. Hopefully, I'll be able to start make more regular updates to this story, but until next time: May the Force be with you**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any part of _Star Wars_, it is now owned by Disney, and am just having some fun in the sandbox that was created by George Lucas. There will be elements from both Disney's canon, and the old Expanded Universe, so enjoy!**

* * *

**D'Qar**

**Ileenium System**

**Sanbra Sector**

"Home sweet home," Han said as the _Millennium Falcon_ emerged from hyperspace above D'Qar. "Send the clearance code so we don't get blown out of the sky."

Chewie growled something into the comlink and a beacon appeared on the sensor board.

"Where are we?" Finn asked, entering the cockpit with Jethro trailing him.

"One of many Resistance bases," Han said. "And it looks like Poe beat us here, good."

"What about me General?" Finn asked.

"You are sticking right next to me until you have been cleared," Han said. "And that is non-negotiable, understand?"

"Yes sir."

The _Falcon_ settled down on a landing platform not far from where the _Silver Explorer_ was sitting. Finn followed Han and Chewie down the landing ramp, with Jethro and another Resistance trooper following him. When he reached the bottom of the ramp, Finn could instantly tell that this was no ordinary Resistance base, he spotted a squadron of X-Wings situated on a couple nearby landing platforms, and Finn noticed that they were not the same fighters that had helped the _Falcon_ escape from Takodana. For one, they all had very little battle damage and they were all painted various colors or had different patterns over their fuselages.

"Ah General Solo, welcome back," a large, bearded man wearing a pilot's jumpsuit said as he approached the group.

"Wexley," Han said. "Where's Leia?"

"I was actually on my way to get her," Wexley said. "Intel has copied the data from BB-8 and is analyzing it as we speak. I figured the Princess would want to be there."

"Good thinking, lead the way," Han said.

"Sir," Wexley said. The larger man led the group through the parked X-Wing squadron and over to the _Silver Explorer'_s berth. Just as they approached the ship, two figures appeared at the top of the landing ramp.

"Rey!"

"Finn!"

"Han."

"Your Worshipness," Han said with a smirk. Leia just rolled her eyes but there was a fond smile on her lips as she looked down at her husband.

"Princess, Intel has finished downloading the data from BB-8," Wexley said.

"Thank you Captain," Leia said. "I shall be there shortly."

"Ma'am, General," Wexley nodded to the pair before jogging back across the landing platform.

Leia's eyes then focused in on Finn. "So you are Finn?" she asked.

Finn left a frisson of something race up his spine when his eyes met the famed Princess Leia Organa. "Yes ma'am," Finn said.

Leia walked down the ramp, Rey following. "You put me in quite a predicament Finn," Leia said. "On one hand, you are or were an enemy combatant, and many of my people will wish to either lock you up and stand trial, or just have you lined up against a wall and be done with it. However, you also risked your life to help Poe escape from the First Order, and helped him recover BB-8 and the data within him, so the question is, what to do with you now?"

"I am willing to submit to whatever your decision is ma'am," Finn said. "I know that I have done terrible things while in the service of the First Order, and much to answer for."

"It would be pretty hypocritical of me to not offer you the chance at redemption," Leia said. "Many who served in the Rebellion were former Imperials who defected, so you will be given the chance to prove your words."

"Thank you ma'am," Finn said with a bow of respect.

"Your first test will be to tell us all you know about the First Order's military capacity," Leia said. "Come along, once we have finished with BB-8, you will sit down with Intel and tell us all you know."

Finn nodded and fell into step behind Leia, Han and Chewie. Rey sidled up beside him while several Resistance troopers following behind.

"What is it that you have found?" Leia asked as she walked into the bunker that housed the Resistance's Intel division.

"We aren't fully sure ma'am," one of the Intel officers admitted. "The data that Commander Dameron provided shows us an area of the Unknown Regions that had been deemed unexplorable for centuries. Most of these systems don't even have names from the old Imperial records, so that is making things difficult."

"I see, of course Luke couldn't make things easy," Leia said. "Regardless, this data does open the Unknown Regions to us, at least much more than we knew prior. Major, I want you to create several copies of this chart. We will send out scouts in order to track down my brother."

"Yes ma'am," the officer said but before he could fulfill his orders, Rey stepped forward, and into the holo-projection that took up much of the room. "What are you doing?"

"Wait Major," Leia said, holding up her hand and watching as Rey reached out toward one of the glowing dots.

"What's going on?" Han asked.

"Quiet Han," Leia whispered. "She turned to the major, "What system is that?"

The major scanned the nearby console before saying, "The only data we have on it is from the old Imperial records, it is called Site Omega."

"Site Omega? What kind of name is that?" Han asked.

"I don't know but I think Rey has just found Luke," Leia said.

"Ma'am, how can you be sure?"

"The Force," Leia said. "The Force is guiding Rey, and it is telling me that is where Luke is."

"What am I doing here?" Rey asked, "how did I get over here?"

"Poe, why don't you show Rey to my quarters?" Leia suggested. "I will meet you there in a little bit, and I will explain as much as I can Rey."

"Ok," Rey said, looking quite confused but allowed Poe to lead her out of the bunker.

"Han, you will be coming too," Leia said. She turned to the head of the Intel division. "Get those copies completed as soon as possible."

"Yes ma'am."

"Han let's go," Leia said. Han sighed but followed his wife from the bunker.

"Did you know that Rey was Force-sensitive?" Leia asked as she and Han made their way across a landing platform.

"No, I have barely spent ten minutes with the girl," Han said. "Never saw her doing any of that hocus-pocus stuff that you or the kid or…"

"I know Han," Leia said. "I know. We will get him back, we will find both Ben and Luke, and bring them home."

Han nodded. "So where are we going?"

"To speak with someone who can speak with Rey about the Force," Leia said.

"You don't mean…"

"I do," Leia said. "I can't Han, there is too much to do, I wouldn't be able to provide enough one-on-one instruction for Rey. She needs a teacher that can spend as much time as possible with her, she is powerful in the Force, very powerful."

"Whatever you say Princess."

* * *

"What happened back there Poe?" Rey asked as Poe led her through the Resistance base. "Everyone was looking at me weirdly."

"Rey, remember what I said over Takodana, about you possibly being Force-sensitive?" Poe asked.

"I guess," Rey said. "But what does that mean Poe? I mean, does that mean I can be a Jedi?"

"I think so," Poe said. "But I don't know all the details Rey. I am sure Princess Leia will explain everything when she comes back."

"What about Finn?" Rey asked. "Have you heard anything about what is going to happen to him?"

"No, but the fact that he hasn't been put in binders is a good sign to me," Poe said. "I'll ask around about him once the Solos get here. I am worried about him too Rey, but he'll get a fair shake here."

"So what happens now Poe?" Rey asked. "I mean, if I can become a Jedi, what then?"

"Well Rey, it all depends on if you want to become a Jedi," Poe said. "I don't believe that Princess Leia or General Solo will make you do anything you don't want too; it is your decision."

"Can you tell me more about the Jedi?" Rey asked. "You told me about the Edict that made Luke Skywalker leave but what about Princess Leia, can't she use the Force as well? She is Luke's brother, so why wasn't she made to leave?"

"Princess Leia hadn't been outed as someone who could use the Force to the wider galaxy, and those who knew kept quiet because they knew the Edict was wrong," Poe said. "Also the Princess was more subtle than her brother, along with some other personal stuff. I don't know all the details."

"Ok, then just tell me what you know about the Jedi," Rey said.

Poe grinned and quickly launched into the tale of Luke Skywalker. Rey sat transfixed as Poe spoke, she had only heard scant details about the legendary Jedi Master before, thanks to stories from her parents but as Poe told Rey the unvarnished truth, she was struck at the similarities between her and Luke Skywalker.

They had both grown up on barren, backwater planets in the care of someone who wasn't their parents. Both didn't know about the Force until they were well into their teens, and both were drawn into a war by events outside their control.

The door chimed, interrupting Poe's tale, and causing the pair to turn toward the door just as Han and Leia entered the quarters with a hooded figure following behind them.

"Enjoying story time?" Han chuckled at the coloring that appeared on both Poe and Rey's faces.

"That's enough Han," Leia said, though she was also smiling. "Now Rey, there is someone I would like you to meet. She will be able to explain things about the Force much better than I would, and she will be traveling with you to find my brother, if you are willing."

The hooded figure raised their hands and lowered the hood of her cloak to reveal a tall orange-skinned alien with white and blue marked head tails. Rey vaguely recognized the alien as a member of the Togruta species.

"Hello Rey, my name is Ahsoka Tano."

"You are Fulcrum!" Poe cried, recognizing the woman.

"Who?" Rey asked.

"Fulcrum is a legend from the Rebellion, on par with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo," Poe said. "She was the lynchpin that kept the early Rebellion alive. It is an honor ma'am."

Han and Leia shook their heads while Ahsoka laughed. "It has been a while since I met a fanboy of mine."

Poe blushed. "My parents told me about you when I was younger; you were the amazing spy that constantly fooled the Empire," he said.

"That is quite alright Poe," Ahsoka said. "It is quite the honor to be mentioned alongside Luke, Han and Leia. Now Rey, Leia tells me that you have the ability to use the Force?"

"I guess," Rey said. "I am not sure though, Poe thinks that because I have gotten these feelings sometimes and that I get lucky a lot, that means I can use the Force."

"That is a common trait for Force users," Ahsoka said. "Force-users usually have enhanced reflexes, and the Force can whisper to us, usually through feelings or notions that we sense."

"So Poe wasn't lying?" Rey asked. "I can use the Force?"

"It does seem so," Ahsoka said. "Now, you will need training to control your abilities before you can really do anything."

"You can teach me?"

"I can, if you are willing to learn," Ahsoka said.

"You are a Jedi?"

"I was."

"Was?" Poe asked.

"That is a story for another time," Ahsoka said, her voice slightly sad.

"Why me?" Rey asked. "I am no one special, just some girl from Jakku."

"The Force works in mysterious ways Rey," Leia said.

"It most certainly does," Ahsoka agreed. "Even those who have spent their entire lives studying the Force don't completely understand it. So does that mean you will let me teach you?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Never think you don't have a choice Rey," Ahsoka said sternly. "You will always have a choice but know this, if you let me teach you, you will have to face challenges and dangers that will test you in ways that you cannot possibly imagine. This is not a decision you should make lightly."

"What do you think I should do?" Rey asked, biting her lip to reveal her nervousness.

Leia smiled, which instantly calmed Rey. "It is your decision Rey, and yours alone. Do I think you would make a good Jedi? Yes, I do. You are kind, smart, willing to do what is right and willing to stand up for others, even when others won't."

Rey ducked her head, trying and failing to hide her blush. "But I didn't want to help Poe and Finn initially," she said.

"But you did in the end Rey, and that is what matters," Ahsoka said.

"Poe, why don't we give Rey and Ahsoka some time to talk alone," Leia said. Poe nodded and rose from his seat, though his desire to stay and talk with Ahsoka was plain to see.

* * *

"So Finn, what can you tell me about the First Order?" Leia asked, sitting down across from Finn with Han and Chewie behind Leia.

"I have told all that I know to Captain Gibbs," Finn said. "Surely, he has told you what I've told him."

"I have reviewed his notes, yes, but I want to hear it directly from you," Leia said. "Han mentioned that you hope that no child is forced to go through what you did, do you still wish that?"

"Of course," Finn said. "No child should be forced into service like I was. It is slavery, just using a different name. I know the only way to stop that practice is to stop the First Order. Forgive me ma'am but I don't see how your Resistance has any chance against the First Order. The First Order is much larger than anyone thinks, and that is exactly what they want."

Leia sighed. "I can understand that you would underestimate us…"

"It is you who is underestimating the First Order ma'am," Finn cut in. "This is not the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and your Rebellion, actually it is more like you are now the Empire and the First Order is the Rebellion."

"What do you mean?" Leia asked, holding up a hand to tell Han and Chewie to remain silent.

"I don't mean that you, the Resistance or even the Republic, are ethically like the Empire, only from a military standpoint," Finn said. "The Rebellion succeeded because the Empire couldn't bring its full military weight against you. The Rebellion was mobile and flexible, making sure that the Empire couldn't wipe you out in one battle. And the amount of territory that the Empire had to protect allowed the Rebellion their pick of softer targets to attack."

"And now the Republic has dozens of places to protect, places where the First Order could attack," Leia said.

"Exactly. The First Order has learned from the Rebellion and the Empire," Finn said. "I have already told Captain Gibbs and Poe about the advancements that the First Order has made to old Imperial tech. They haven't just learned how to improve Imperial technology; they have new tactics and strategies."

"So you think we have no chance?" Han asked.

"No but you can't underestimate the First Order," Finn said. "If you do, they will win and control the galaxy. The First Order, especially the high command, will not stop until they are victorious or they are dead."

"We need to inform the Republic," a man wearing a captain's rank said once Leia had called the Resistance leaders together. "If we can believe this Finn's information, the Republic is the only force strong enough to defeat the First Order."

"The Republic won't listen to us," Poe argued. "They got rid of the Jedi, they ran Princess Leia out of the Senate, we can't trust them."

"Then what do you suggest Commander Dameron?" the captain asked. "We do not have the resources to fight a war against the First Order, we need the Republic's help."

Several of the Resistance leaders nodded.

"Enough," Leia said, quieting the group. "We need to stop acting like children. We must remain united in the face of this threat, if we don't, the First Order will win power that much easier."

"So what should we do then ma'am?" General Statura asked.

"We prepare," Leia said. "And inform the Republic." She turned to a young woman wearing a commander's rank. "Korrie, I need you to go to Coruscant and tell the Republic what we know of the First Order."

"Yes ma'am," Commander Korr Sella said. "But will they even listen to me?"

"Some will, some won't," Leia admitted. "But we need to warn as many people as we can, if only to give them time to prepare."

"What if the First Order defector goes with Commander Sella?" a voice suggested. "He could provide evidence to back up our claims."

"Or it would provide our opponents an opportunity to claim we are making the First Order threat up," another voice argued.

"Enough!" Leia barked, silencing the room before even more voices could be added to the discussion. "Jethro, go and bring Finn here. We will give Finn the choice."

"Ma'am," Jethro said.

Leia turned back to Korr Sella and asked, "Would you be willing to take Finn with you? Captain Gibbs can provide an escort if you want one."

"If you think it is the right call ma'am," Korr said. "But how will we get in front of anyone who might listen? The Republic is hanging on by a thread, and we do not have many friends in the Senate."

"There are still a few who are not blinded by greed and pride," Leia said. "I will contact one of our allies in the Senate, and they will meet you when you arrive."

"Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am, I have brought Finn as you requested," Captain Gibbs said when he and Finn entered the briefing room.

"Thank you Captain," Leia said. "Has Jethro informed you of why you've been asked here?"

"He just said that I would be given a chance to prove my intentions," Finn said.

"Yes," Leia said. "I would have you travel to Coruscant alongside Commander Sella here, and speak to the Republic Senate about the threat that the First Order presents."

Finn blinked as he processed Leia's words. "Are you sure that is a wise move ma'am?" he asked. "The First Order has agents all over the galaxy, and I am sure they have agents within the Republic. If they get word that I am coming, we won't make the planet's surface."

"That is why we need to take this risk," Leia said. "The Republic is woefully unprepared for what is coming, we need to at least make the attempt. I understand the risk to you but this needs to be done. As for getting you to the surface, we have our ways."

Finn looked around the room, and he could tell that many of the faces expressed doubt in him. And to be honest, Finn had doubt in himself, could he really convince the Republic Senate of how dangerous the First Order was? By warning the Republic, it would make any conflict extremely bloody, and cause more deaths of brainwashed children that were forced into service.

But if the First Order emerged victorious, they would engulf the galaxy in darkness, and no one would be safe.

"Very well ma'am," Finn said. "I'll go to Coruscant and see what I can do."

"Thank you Finn," Leia said with a smile. "Jethro, you and your team will go with Finn and Korrie for security."

"Understood."

"I want you all to leave as soon as possible," Leia said. "The sooner we can inform the Republic, the better our chances will be."

"Yes ma'am," Jethro said before turning to Finn and Korr. "Grab what you need and meet me at platform 6."

"Yes sir."

"Good luck to you, and May the Force be with you Finn, Korrie."

* * *

**Point Alpha**

**First Order staging area**

**Bridge of the _Finalizer_**

Supreme Commander Kylo Ren gazed out the bridge viewport as his fleet began to make final preparations to leave the spacedock. There was a sense of controlled excitement and anticipation amongst the members of the fleet. Everyone knew that the First Order fleet was getting ready for a major operation, and most had guessed correctly that the operation was to be against the New Republic.

Hux had been almost beside himself with giddiness ever since the Supreme Leader had given the order to prepare the fleet for their attack on the Republic. Kylo thought back to his meeting with Supreme Leader Snoke and Hux a week prior where Snoke had laid out his plan for the campaign.

_"General, Commander, I am most pleased with the preparations that you both have made so far with our forces," Snoke said. "And the time for our strike has come at last."_

_ "Thank you Supreme Leader," Hux said with a wide smile. "Our forces are ready and awaiting your command to strike."_

_ "Good General," Snoke said. "Now I have devised a series of strikes that will cripple the Republic." A holographic map of the Core appeared in between Snoke, Hux and Kylo. Several systems became highlighted as Snoke touched them, and Kylo recognized them all. "We will strike at these key systems, crippling the Republic's forces and allowing our forces the ability to gain a foothold."_

_ "Excellent Supreme Leader," Hux said. "Our forces should have little issue wiping out the paltry defensive forces that the Republic have stationed around these targets."_

_ "We will take no chances General," Snoke said. "Each of these targets must be pacified as quickly as possible. And that is why we will be sending a full fleet to each of them."_

_ "Supreme Leader, I understand the need for complete success but if we send a full fleet to each of these targets, we will leave ourselves dangerously exposed," Kylo said._

_ "Your concern is valid my young friend but we must strike hard and fast in order to achieve victory," Snoke said. "These targets have been chosen not only for their value to the Republic but also their value to us should we succeed. And that is why these strikes must be precise and total, do you understand Commander, General?"_

_ "Yes Supreme Leader."_

_ "Good," Snoke said. "I am expecting our forces to be in position within one standard week, is that understood?"_

_ "We shall be ready Supreme Leader," Hux said._

_ "Very good," Snoke grinned as the map vanished. "Contact me when the fleets are in position, and I shall give the order."_

_ "Supreme Leader."_

Kylo blinked away the memory as he felt the deck beneath his feet shudder. He looked up just in time to see the stars turn into starlines as his fleet leapt into hyperspace. He knew that this was only the start of a new journey; a journey that would change the shape of the galaxy forever.

* * *

**A/N: Well there you go, the newest installment of my _The Force Awakens_ rewrite. It's a bit of a filler chapter and this is where we start to shift away from the plot of the film. I never liked how the First Order just made a Death Star 3.0 for their big weapon. I didn't mind that the First Order's main base was Starkiller Base but making the planet a Death Star was just boring, so the First Order will be much different in this rewrite than what we got in the films. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, until next time**

**May the Force be with you,**

**SlyNinjaKnight**


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